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30-08-2009

Janosik. A True Story breaks the distribution mold

By Katarzyna Grynienko
    Following its August 26 gala red-carpet, standing ovation premeire in Poland, Janosik. A True Story begins a crusade to break Central Europe's distribution boundaries.

    Apple Film ( www.applefilm.pl ) producer Dariusz Jabłoński is coordinating a four-country release that surpasses previous ambitions to establish regional box office hit films.

    The movie will be released in a 100 of copies in Poland, 38 in Czech Republic and 17 in Slovakia. There will also be a further Hungarian release. "We are releasing this title on both celluloid and digital copies in Poland and Czech Republic, it will be the first Polish film with a large number of over 15 digital copies in the Polish market," Jabłoński told FNE.

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    The movie was realized in three language versions, with all members of the cast were acting in their own language and separate dubbing versions recorded afterwards. The copies were made in the UK by Soho Film Labs (www.sohofilmlab.co.uk), an Ascent Media Company (www.ascentmedia.co.uk).

    "When we presented the copies in England the film professionals there were shocked that something of such good production quality was produced in our part of Europe," Jabłoński said. " I was told that our movie made with 6 million EUR looks like a 30 million EUR production."

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    The Polish distributor is Syrena Films (www.syrenafilms.com). The initial producer of the project Rudolf Biermann is co-operating with Apple Film on distribution in Slovakia, where the title will be represented by Garfield, and in the Czech Republic with Bioscop (www.bioscop.cz). Apple Film is controlling the distribution in all three countries by supervising all the audiovisual materials, advertising and the process of promotion of the title.

    "It is a new and challenging experience for us, which allows us to learn about all three markets and the connections between then at once." Jabłoński said. "It is the first co-production of such size and importance for the Cent-East European countries. Our filmmakers need to realize that there is no reason for their work to be not as popular as British and Scandinavian cinema. Sometimes it takes one or two outstanding titles to make a breakthrough and some regional cinematographies to become internationally popular, if Janosik does not brake this dam it will certainly shake it."

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    www.janoski-film.pl is the Polish website for the film

    Production Information:
    PRODUCTION: Apple Film Production (www.applefilm.pl)

    Contact: +4822 851 8440

    CO-PRODUCTION: In Film, Telewizja Polska S.A. (www.tvp.pl), Charlie's,
    Eurofilm Studio (www.eurofilm.hu), HBO Central Europe (www.hbo-centraleurope.com)
    CO-FINANCING: PISF (www.pisf.pl), Slovak Ministry of Culture (www.sfu.sk)
    DISTRIBUTION Syrena Films (Poland) (www.syrenafilms.com), Garfield (Slovakia), Bioscop (www.bioscop.cz) (Czech Republic)

    Directing: Agnieszka Holland, Kasia Adamik
    Script: Eva Borušovičová
    Cinematography: Martin Štrba
    Music: Antoni Łazarkiewicz
    Set design: František Lipták, Marek Zawierucha
    CosTumes: Anita Hroššová, Magdalena Tesławska
    Montage: Michał Czarnecki, Marek Kráľovský
    Sound: Krzysztof Jastrząb
    Production manager: Paweł Bareński, Norma Kralovska
    Producers: Dariusz Jabłoński, Rudolf Biermann, Violetta
    Kamińska, Izabela Wójcik

    Cast

    Janosik Václav Jiráček
    Uhorczyk Ivan Martinka
    Huncaga Michał Żebrowski
    Margeta Maja Ostaszewska
    Zuzanna Katarzyna Herman
    Barbara Sarah Zoe Canner
    Anusia Táňa Pauhofová
    Babcia Janosika Danuta Szaflarska
    Szyposz Marian Dziędziel
    Gabor Eryk Lubos
    Baron Revay Rafał Maćkowiak
    Pierwszy Sędzia Maciej Kozłowski
    Matka Janosika Małgorzata Zajączkowska
    Lani Krzysztof Stroiński
    Satora Marek Probosz

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