30-03-2021

Netflix Announces Polish Commissions

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    Prime Time by Jakub Piątek Prime Time by Jakub Piątek

    WARSAW: Netflix has announced the production of three new Polish original series and premieres of three Polish films in 2022.

    The upcoming series include Sexify directed by Kalia Alabrudzińska and Piotr Domalewski, produced by Akson Studio; Rojst'97 directed by Jan Holoubek and produced by Frame; and Otwórz oczy directed by Anna Jadowska and Adrian Panek, produced by MediaBrigade.

    Among the new commissions that are entering the production stage with plans for a premiere on the platform in 2022 is the feature film How I Fell In Love With A Gangster / Jak pokochałam gangstera, a sequel to the 2020 box office hit How I Became A Gangster that had 1.14 m admissions last year. The film will be directed by Maciej Kawulski, who co-wrote the script with Grzegorz Gureczny, and produced by Open Mind Production. 

    In 2021 Netflix will premiere three feature films and three series made in Poland, including Prime Time, a psychological drama directed by Jakub Piątek and produced by Watchout Studio, set to premiere on the platform on 14 April 2021; Bartkowiak, the directing debut by Daniel Markowicz produced by Lightcraft, planned to open in the summer of 2021; and Hiacynt, a new thriller from Piotr Domalewski, produced by Shipsboy, set to premiere on Netflix in the fall of 2021.

    “We believe that productions deeply rooted in a given culture, its history and emotionality, may not only be interesting to viewers locally, but have a chance of success around the world. Polish artists are able to bring these stories to the screen so that they are universal and understandable to a global audience. We want to work with Polish directors, screenwriters, producers and other talented team members, giving them room for the development of their creative visions. We want to continue investing in the Polish film industry - we see great potential here,” said Łukasz Kłuskiewicz from Netflix, responsible for acquiring local content in Central and Eastern Europe, at a special presentation announcing the company's plans for the Polish market.

    New Polish shows coming to Netflix in 2022 include: Axis Mundi, an eight-episode fantasy series directed by Kasia Adamik and Olga Chajdas, set in Krakow. The authors of the script are Magdalena Lankosz, Anna Sieńska, and Gaja Grzegorzewska. The main character, a medical student (Alex), meets a mysterious professor and his elite group of students. To his amazement, he discovers that, under the guise of scientific research, the group is doing something completely different. Alex becomes embroiled in a plot that confronts her with the world of Slavic beliefs, ancient monsters and bloodthirsty deities. Axis Mundi is a story based on Slavic mythology and the legends of old Krakow, as well as on what these legends and myths remained silent about. It is also a universal story about an adolescent woman who must define her identity and find what her inner life force is. Telemark is producing. The series will premiere on Netflix in the first half of 2022.

    The Queen is a four-episode tale of redemption, second chance, and love overcoming all differences. This is the story of New Year's Eve and a retired tailor and drag queen, who left Poland to pursue his career in Paris. Contrary to the promise made years ago, he decides to return to his hometown, a mining town, when he receives a letter from his granddaughter. The journey takes an unexpected turn, forcing Sylvester to face the past. The mini-series directed by Łukasz Kośmicki and produced by Opus TV is based on a script by Arnie Asgeirsson. The premiere is planned for the first half of 2022.

    Big Water is a six-episode catastrophic drama directed by Jan Holoubek (formatting director) and Bartłomiej Ignaciuk, based on a script by Kasper Bajon and Kinga Krzemińska, set during the millennium flood that hit Wrocław and its surroundings in 1997. When the flood wave approaches the capital of Lower Silesia, a decision is made that to save the city from the destructive elements, the surrounding villages and fields should be sacrificed. The three main characters, faced with an extreme situation, face events that result in enormous destruction and the death of innocent people. Telemark is producing. Shooting for the series will begin in the summer of 2021. The premiere is expected in the second half of 2022.

    Keep Calm is another Netflix title based on a Harlan Coben novel. It will be directed by Michał Gazda and Bartosz Konopka. The action of the six-episode series takes place in a wealthy Warsaw housing estate, where the local community, closely related, leads a quiet life. Everything changes when an eighteen-year-old boy disappears without a trace. The danger is escalating quickly, and concerned parents are doing everything they can to protect their children who, on the threshold of adulthood, have decided to take matters into their own hands. Agata Malesińska and Wojtek Miłoszewski are responsible for the script. ATM Grupa is producing. The premiere is set for the second half of 2022. 

    None of the production budgets have been announced.