Although the shooting of the “Kleks Academy” directed by Maciej Kawulski will start in the summer, the project already evokes positive emotions. Today, we will reveal to you a few facts about the film and present the actors playing the main roles! Ambroży Kleks will be played by Tomasz Kot and Ada Niezgódka – by an actress debuting on the big screen – Antonina Litwiniak.
WELCOME TO OUR FAIRY-TALE
On the 31st of May, there was a press conference regarding the “Kleks Academy”. The numerous journalists attending the meeting and fans of the magical story written by Jan Brzechwa were introduced to, among others, the leading actors – Tomasz Kot, who will play the role of Ambroży Kleks, and Antonina Litwiniak, starring as Ada Niezgódka. The conference was opened by Robert Kijak, the president of Next Film and the distributor of the film, who promised that he would do his best to make sure that the “Kleks Academy” was screened in every cinema in Poland.
– It is a challenging task for me, but challenges make you know you’re alive. It is a huge honour because I absolutely adore Mr Kleks as played by Piotr Fronczewski, but I have to admit that there is also a little bit of pressure. The fact that I can enter the film set and be a part of this film, which was such an important highlight of our childhood, is an exceptional experience because it carries a tremendous emotional charge for my generation – said Tomasz Kot, who will star as Mr Kleks.
ADA
“Kleks Academy” is a modernised version of the classic fairy tale by Jan Brzechwa, whose form and content are addressed to children but can also engage older viewers, who still remember the cult-classic version from the 1980s. The film depicts a seemingly ordinary girl, Ada Niezgódka, who finds her way into the eponymous Academy to explore the world of fairy tales, imagination and creativity. With the help of a crazy, talented teacher, professor Ambroży Kleks, she develops her unique abilities and also stumbles upon a clue that will help her unravel the biggest secret of the family…
– I feel all these different emotions at the same time, particularly excitement, because it has always been my dream to be an actor. That is why the things I am doing now and the way we work on this project are the fulfilment of that dream – said Antonina Litwiniak, who stars as Ada Niezgódka, during a conference.
MORE THAN JUST A FILM
The makers of the film emphasise its educational aspect. The Kleks Academy will be an international school, with students from all over the world.
– We are making a film for the children, we are not trying to convince schools to go to the cinemas because the book is a part of the required reading list. We want people to watch it two or three times simply because it is great fun. The educational aspect we propose is just as modern and innovative as the whole production – says the director and producer of the film, Maciej Kawulski.
The press conference was also attended by Omenaa Mensah, who represented the charity partners of the film, Omenaa Foundation and Rafał Brzoska Foundation, and who also emphasised the educational values of the “Kleks Academy” and related projects.
– The Kleks Academy is the school of your dreams for any young person. Mr Kleks is a smart, charismatic teacher, who emphasises the importance of personal growth and imagination. His school shows opportunities and supports, teaching tolerance without making judgements. It does not exclude anyone. These values are very dear to me, and I try to uphold them in the work I do at the foundation – said Omenaa Mensah, the president of the Omenaa Foundation – That is why I was so happy to become a partner on the film. We plan special programmes, workshops and activities connected with the Academy, both at my foundation and at the foundation of my husband – the Rafał Brzoska Foundation – which is just starting its operations and is dedicated to talented youth.
The film was also discussed by a representative of LEGO – the partner of the film – Beata Kucejko, marketing director for Poland, Baltic countries and the Ukraine, who described the future partnership in the following words:
– We have a unique opportunity to associate a cult-classic piece of history with a cult-classic brand. Both of them take us into the world of fantasy, adventures and fun and encourage us to develop our abilities, showing us the strength of imagination and creativity. In the modernised adaptation of Mr Kleks, the protagonist will be a girl, and this fact is consistent with the communications of Lego, where we emphasise that the choices of children should be based on their passions and needs, not gender. Lego blocks are a universal toy, and we can draw satisfaction from creating and exploring our own creativity regardless of age. By partnering with the producers of Mr Kleks, we will be able to reach a wider audience because the children will be accompanied at the cinemas by their parents or even grandparents. We are all very interested to see this new version of the adventures of Mr Kleks!
The unique character of the “Kleks Academy” was also discussed by Grzegorz Pietraszewski – the co-producer of the film and the owner of the Bajka Pana Kleksa (Mr Kleks’ Fairy-tale Land) theme park.
– Ever since the park was opened in Katowice, I have had the opportunity to experience the universal appeal of Professor Kleks and his Academy on a daily basis. I have been telling everyone for years that if Jan Brzechwa had been born in London and J.K. Rowling in Warsaw, children all over the world would now be getting excited about the adventures of Ambroży Kleks rather than Harry Potter. This novel has been waiting way too long for its contemporary cinematic version. I am convinced that – by working so long and hard on the new film – we will be able to make something the children will love, and children are the reason we are making this film in the first place.
The press conference was also attended by Piotr Fronczewski, who played the eponymous Mr Kleks six times on the big screen. The actor has symbolically passed the baton to his successor. The conference was hosted by Dorota Wellman.
The “Kleks Academy” will be produced by Open Mind Production and co-produced by Bajka Pana Kleksa. The film will be distributed in Poland by NEXT FILM.
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“Kleks Academy”
Leading actors: Tomasz Kot (Ambroży Kleks), Antonina Litwiniak (Ada)
Director: Maciej Kawulski
Screenplay: Krzysztof Gureczny
Cinematographer: Bartłomiej Cierlica
Producers: Maciej Kawulski, Tomasz Wardyn
Production: Open Mind Production
Co-production: Bajka Pana Kleksa
Distribution: NEXT FILM
Partners: InPost, MIASTO Katowice, LEGO
Charity partners: Omenaa Mensah Foundation, Rafał Brzoska Fundation
Official website of the film: http://kleksacademy.com