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At the XXIII Summer Olympics in Paris, there was a special preview of the film “Kulej. All That Glitters Isn’t Gold,” directed by Xawery Zulawski (prod. Watchout Studio). Jerzy Kulej won gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1968 Mexico City Games. Now his story has been presented at the Maison Polonaise of the Polish Olympic Committee. We present a photo report from the event.

The filmmakers – director and screenwriter Xawery Zulawski, producer Krzysztof Terej, actors Tomasz Włosok and Andrzej Chyra and Waldemar Kulej, Jerzy’s son and also the initiator of the film – came to the Maison Polonaise, a place created for the Polish Olympic team, the media and the biggest sports fans. The filmmakers were welcomed on stage by Radoslaw Piesiewicz, president of the Polish Olympic Committee.

Here are the voices of the first viewers:

– What I really liked about the film was how it shows the two sides of each athlete – preparation and professionalism, but also challenges. It was amazingly shown how from different sides the athlete had to fight the challenges he had in life. The film shows that no matter what situation we are in, we can climb to the highest level.

– The whole film is probably the first time that Olympic boxing is shown in such a way. I’m sure it will make a great impression on all fans of the sport.

– I know the figure of Jerzy Kulej, but I didn’t know the story of his life. I didn’t expect that it was so interesting, set in the tough 1960s, politically charged. Full credit to the actors and director for portraying such difficult sports scenes so realistically.

“Kulej. All That Glitters Isn’t Gold” has received honorary patronage from the Ministry of Sports and Tourism and the Polish Olympic Committee.

ABOUT THE FILM

“Kulej. All That Glitters Isn’t Gold” is the story of Jerzy and Helena Kulej – the most colorful marriage of Poland in the 1960s. He – a legendary boxer, double European champion and eight-time Polish champion, who was the only Polish boxer to win two Olympic golds, and although he never lay on the boards, he fell more than once in his life. She – a strong woman who invariably stood by his side, but did not want to forever remain in his shadow.

“Kulej. Two Sides of a Medal” focuses on the period between 1964 and 1968, when Jerzy Kulej won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, to then repeat the feat in Mexico. It is a multi-dimensional story of the athlete, his triumphs in the ring, the color of the era, but also the story of the turbulent fate of the Kulej marriage, in which great love was put to the test in dealing with great success.

The role of Jerzy Kulej is played by Tomasz Włosok, Helena is played by Michalina Olszanska. Andrzej Chyra plays the coach of the Polish national team – another celebrity of the boxing world, Felix “Papa” Stamm. Tomasz Kot plays the role of the Colonel, head of the Gwardia sports club. Other roles include Bartosz Gelner, Konrad Eleryk and Monika Mikolajczak.

Xawery Zulawski is responsible for directing, together with Rafal Lipski he also wrote the screenplay. Among the filmmakers are the biggest names in the Polish film industry, including Marian Prokop (cinematography), Anna Englert (costumes), Jan Komar, Mikołaj Majkusiak (music), Agnieszka Hodowana (make-up) The producer is Krzysztof Terej, Watchout Studio (“Gods,” “The Art of Loving. The Story of Michalina Wisłocka”).

Distribution in Poland is handled by NEXT FILM.

The film will enter theaters on October 11, 2024. Before that, it will take part in the Main Competition of the 49th Polish Feature Film Festival in Gdynia (September 23-28).

The film was produced in Poland with financial support under the Act on Financial Support for Audiovisual Production, granted by the Polish Film Institute from funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

The film’s website: https://next-film.pl/film/kulej/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kulej.dwiestronymedalu

Instagram: @kulej.dwastronymedalu

KULEJ. ALL THAT GLITTERS ISN’T GOLD

Directed by: Xawery Zulawski
Screenplay: Rafał Lipski, Xawery Żuławski
Cinematography: Marian Prokop PSC
Music: Jan Komar, Mikołaj Majkusiak
Set design: Marta Skajnowska
Costumes: Anna Englert
Characterization: Agnieszka Hodowana
Sound: Mateusz Adamczyk, Jarosław “Bodo” Bajdowski, Sebastian Witkowski
Editing: Wojtek Włodarski PSM
Cast Director: Marta Kownacka PCDG
Director of dance scenes: Maciej Zakliczynski
Fight director, stunt coordination: Tomasz Krzemieniecki
Producer: Krzysztof Terej
Production: Watchout Studio
Production Manager: Dagmara Bagnecka
Virtual production: ATM Virtual
Virtual production: Veles Productions
Veles Producer: Paweł Stawiński
Veles Producer: Artur Paprocki
Co-financed by: Polish Film Institute
Co-production of the film: ATM Virtual Radoslaw Bardes, Andrzej Mlynarczyk
Film co-production: Veles Productions
Film co-production: Systemics New
Distribution in Poland: NEXT FILM

Starring: Tomasz Włosok, Michalina Olszańska, Tomasz Kot, Andrzej Chyra, Bartosz Gelner, Konrad Eleryk, Monika Mikołajczak

Ten years after the release of “Gods,” seven after “The Art of Loving. The Story of Michalina Wisłocka” the producers of Watchout Studio are closing their trilogy of film biographies with the production of ”Kulej. All That Glitters Isn’t Gold.” The story of Jerzy and Helena Kulej was directed by Xawery Zulawski. The role of the legendary fist fighter, two-time Olympic champion, is played by Tomasz Włosok, his extraordinary wife is played by Michalina Olszanska. The film will enter theaters on October 11, but a special preview of the film will be held in Paris on August 2 during the Olympic Games. We present the first trailer of the production.

The story of Jerzy and Helena Kulej – the most colorful couple of the 60s in Poland. He, a legendary boxer, two-time European champion, and eight-time Polish champion, reached his immortal status as the only Polish boxer with two Olympic golds. Although he was never knocked down in the ring, he fell more than once in life. She, a strong woman, who always stood by his side, but did not want to remain in his shadow forever.

“Kulej. All that glitters isn’t gold” focuses on the years from 1964 to 1968, from Jerzy Kulej’s gold at the Tokyo Olympics, to repeating this feat in Mexico. It is a multi-dimensional story of an athlete and his triumphs in the ring, presenting the colour and mood of the era. It is also a tale of Kulejs’ turbulent marriage in which their great love was put to the test of coping with spectacular success.

The role of Jerzy Kulej is played by Tomasz Włosok. The actor has been training in kickboxing for many years, but in preparation for the role, he intensified his boxing training. In order to faithfully portray the fighting style of yesteryear, movement choreography and dance classes were also necessary. The shoot proved extremely demanding, which sometimes meant boxing day after day for 9 hours at a time – the actor had to be in truly Olympic shape. Michalina Olszanska as Helena Kulej was primarily tasked with showing extraordinary charisma and exceptional strength of character.

Andrzej Chyra plays the coach of the Polish national team – another celebrity of the boxing world, Felix “Papa” Stamm. Tomasz Kot plays the role of the Colonel, head of the Gwardia sports club. Other roles include Bartosz Gelner, Konrad Eleryk and Monika Mikolajczak.

SPECIAL SCREENING DURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES

“Kulej. All that glitters isn’t gold” has received honorary patronage from the Ministry of Sport and Tourism and the Polish Olympic Committee. A special preview of the film will be held during the Olympic Games in Paris. The Olympic team and the media will have the opportunity to attend the Polish House Paris 2024 event, which will include the screening and a meeting with the filmmakers.

Radosław Piesiewicz, PKOL President: – I am very pleased that it is in the house of Polish sport in Paris that the premiere of the film about our outstanding fighter will take place. Great actors, a great plot, a passionate story of the life of our outstanding athlete. I think this is the most appropriate place and moment during the Olympics to show this story. You are cordially invited. I am confident that the reception of the film will bring us all an unforgettable experience.

Xawery Zulawski is responsible for directing, together with Rafal Lipski he also wrote the screenplay. Among the filmmakers are the biggest names in the Polish film industry, including Marian Prokop (cinematography), Anna Englert (costumes), Jan Komar, Mikołaj Majkusiak (music), Agnieszka Hodowana (make-up) The producer is Krzysztof Terej, Watchout Studio (“Gods,” “The Art of Loving. The Story of Michalina Wisłocka”).

The film was made with financial support from the Polish Film Institute.

“Kulej. All that glitters isn’t gold” will enter theaters on October 11, 2024. Before that, it will take part in the Main Competition of the 49th Polish Feature Film Festival in Gdynia (September 23-28).

KULEJ. ALL THAT GLITTERS ISN’T GOLD

Directed by: Xawery Zulawski
Screenplay: Rafał Lipski, Xawery Żuławski
Cinematography: Marian Prokop PSC
Music: Jan Komar, Mikołaj Majkusiak
Set design: Marta Skajnowska
Costumes: Anna Englert
Characterization: Agnieszka Hodowana
Sound: Mateusz Adamczyk, Jarosław “Bodo” Bajdowski, Sebastian Witkowski
Editing: Wojtek Włodarski PSM
Cast Director: Marta Kownacka PCDG
Director of dance scenes: Maciej Zakliczynski
Fight director, stunt coordination: Tomasz Krzemieniecki
Producer: Krzysztof Terej
Production: Watchout Studio
Production Manager: Dagmara Bagnecka
Virtual production: ATM Virtual
Virtual production: Veles Productions
Veles Producer: Paweł Stawiński
Veles Producer: Artur Paprocki
Co-financed by: Polish Film Institute
Co-production of the film: ATM Virtual Radoslaw Bardes, Andrzej Mlynarczyk
Film co-production: Veles Productions
Film co-production: Systemics New
Distribution in Poland: NEXT FILM

Starring: Tomasz Włosok, Michalina Olszańska, Tomasz Kot, Andrzej Chyra, Bartosz Gelner, Konrad Eleryk, Monika Mikołajczak

Shooting is underway for a new family film directed by Olga Chajdas, with Jan Peszek and Agnieszka Grochowska among others on the set. “Dziadku, wiejemy!” (Granpa, we blow!) is a production that will fill a gap in Polish cinema and tell the story of three generations united by a common adventure. The characters, and with them the audience, will see how much they can learn from each other, how to forgive each other’s weaknesses and accept their own differences, as well as how to handle their emotions. Acting cinematography will be combined with elements of animation. Anna Nowak will play the main child role.

– I dream of creating an Indiana Jones movie for the youngest. I dream of creating a movie like the ones I myself watched as a child. I want to create something that shows in good, cinematic form what is most important for children now. I want to take them seriously – as viewers and as partners who go to the cinema,” says Olga Chajdas.

The film will enter theaters in 2025.

– Amazing adventures can also be had with your own family. All you have to do is set out on the road. In our film, Jan Peszek plays a crazy grandfather and Agnieszka Grochowska plays a mother who is just learning to have fun. And between them is 10-year-old Jagoda. This is real cinema for the whole family – everyone will find a story for themselves,” says producer Malgorzata Malysa.

Jan Peszek adds: – I hope it will be a film that is completely unpredictable, wild, for every generation. The granddaughter runs away with her grandfather – from what and why you will find out from the film itself.

ABOUT THE FILM “DZIADKU, WIEJEMY!” (GRANDPA, WE BLOW!)

One day Grandpa Jeremi causes such a commotion in the retirement home that he is threatened with transfer to a psychiatric hospital. Marta, his daughter, agrees to take him in, although this is difficult for her, since Jeremi is unpredictable and has a vivid imagination. The situation is complicated by Jagoda, Marta’s daughter, who adores her grandfather and shares his crazy ideas. When Jeremi refuses to live with the family, Jagoda decides to take matters into her own hands. The girl and grandfather embark on an adventurous journey to the legendary ship Light of the Sea. In pursuit of them moves a gang of villains led by the rich man Waldemar and the terrified mother of Jagoda. Well, and the dragon – a dragon also goes after them.
“Dziadku, wiejemy!” (Granpa, we blow!) is a humorous and warm film about family, adventure and the magic of imagination.

The role of Jagoda will be a debut for Anna Nowak. The role of her grandfather Jeremy will be played by Jan Peszek, her mother will be played by Agnieszka Grochowska. The other roles are played by Michal Majnicz, Wlodzimierz Press, Wiktor Zborowski, Sonia Roszczuk, among others.

The author of the script is Emil Ploszajski. Bartosz Bieniek is responsible for the cinematography. The producers of the film are Malgorzata Malysa and Karolina Galuba of Furia Film. Distribution will be handled by NEXT FILM. Co-producers are: Fale Loki Koki, Moderator Investments, Abstraction Plan, Aneta Graff – Dabrowska, EC1 Lodz – City of Culture, Lower Silesian Film Center, Institute of Urban Culture operator Gdansk Film Fund. The film received a grant from the Polish Film Institute.

GRANDPA, WE BLOW!

directed by: Olga Chajdas
screenplay: Emil Płoszajski
cinematography: Bartosz Bieniek
set design: Marcelina Początek-Kunikowska
costumes: Anna Englert
make-up: Ewa Szwed
cast direction: Paulina Krajnik
editing: Pavel Hrdlicka
sound: Jaroslaw Bajdowski, Grzegorz Kucharski
music: Smolik
producer: FURIA FILM Karolina Galuba, Małgorzata Małysa
production manager: Małgorzata Banaszkiewicz
production: Furia Film
distribution: NEXT FILM
co-production: Fale Loki Koki, Moderator Investments, Abstraction Plan, Aneta Graff – Dąbrowska, EC1 Łódź – City of Culture, Lower Silesian Film Center, Institute of Urban Culture operator Gdansk Film Fund
co-financed by: Polish Film Institute

FILM PRODUCED IN POLAND WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THE ACT ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION, GRANTED BY THE POLISH INSTITUTE OF FILM ART FROM THE FUNDS OF THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE

The film “The A(A) Team,” directed by Daniel Jaroszek and produced by Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM), will debut on cinema screens on September 20. The makers of the hit film “Johnny” once again reach for stories that move. This time they will be helped to tell them by Łukasz Simlat, Danuta Stenka, Magdalena Cielecka, Michał Żurawski, Maria Sobocińska, Mikołaj Kubacki and Leszek Lichota. The viewers will also be introduced to the unusual atmosphere by the Lor band, which created the song “nanana” especially for the film “The A(A) Team”. Today we present the music video.

“The A(A) Team” is a story about mutual support to overcome one’s own weaknesses. And also about how important good goals in life are for this victory. Daniel Jaroszek’s latest work is an entertaining cinema that entertains, moves and makes you think. Especially for the film, the band Lor composed a country-style single. “nanana” is the first, but not the last song by the artists to appear on the soundtrack of “The A(A) Team”. The song “nanana” is now available on all streaming services.

LISTEN ON STREAMING SERVICES

– Working on “The A(A) Team,” it was the first time we had the opportunity to write songs typically for a film. “nanana” was definitely a big challenge for us, because we hadn’t taken country music before. The scene in which this song is set is the fulfillment of our childhood dreams, plus the chance to participate in the shooting day and watch the crew learning the choreography for this song is definitely an experience we will remember for a long time,” say the artists from the Lor team.

The song “nanana” will be heard live during Lor’s concerts, which will be held in the coming months in various corners of Poland.

TICKETS FOR THE TOUR

ABOUT THE FILM “THE A(A) TEAM”

Four cross-addicted alcoholics, in order to save their therapy center, undertake to smuggle two tanker trucks of spirit across Poland. For their own safety, they kidnap their therapist en route. However, the journey turns out to be more dangerous than they expected, as they are also followed by a Customs officer – or rather, the illegally transported alcohol – who is not quite who she claims to be. From now on, everything gets complicated. Will Leszek, Wiola, Dominik, Karolina and Wojtek manage to complete the mission, but also not give in to their weaknesses and stop the treatment?

The makers of the hit film “Johnny,” a film that first triumphed in theaters (more than a million tickets sold) and then on streaming platforms, have invited both the most established actors and rising stars of the younger generation to collaborate on their latest project. The film “The A(A) Team” will feature Danuta Stenka, Łukasz Simlat, Magdalena Cielecka, Michał Żurawski, Maria Sobocińska, Mikołaj Kubacki and Leszek Lichota.

The script was written by Jacek Wasilewski and Tomasz Kwaśniewski, and Daniel Jaroszek is responsible for the direction. “The A(A) Team” is another in-house production of NEXT FILM, and is produced by Robert Kijak.

“The A(A) Team” is produced in cooperation with Amazon Prime Video. The project is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

“The A(A) Team” in theaters starting September 20.

THE A(A) TEAM
PREMIERE: SEPTEMBER 20
Directed by: Daniel Jaroszek
Screenplay: Tomasz Kwaśniewski, Jacek Wasilewski
Producer: Robert Kijak
Cast: Danuta Stenka, Maria Sobocińska, Magdalena Cielecka, Łukasz Simlat, Michał Żurawski, Mikołaj Kubacki
Cinematography: Michal Dabal PSC
Set design: Karolina Rączka
Costumes: Zofia Komasa
Characterization: Liliana Gałązka
Cast Direction: Konrad Bugaj
Editing: Maciej Kozłowski PSM
Sound: Sebastian Brański, Wojciech Mielimąka MPSE, Adam Szlenda MPSE
Music: Maciej Dobrowolski
Line producer: Anna Orska-Olszewska
Production manager: Michal Lipski
Production and distribution: NEXT FILM
Co-producer: TVN Warner Bros. Discovery
Co-financed by: Polish Film Institute

FILM PRODUCED IN POLAND WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THE ACT ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION, GRANTED BY THE POLISH INSTITUTE OF FILM ART FROM THE FUNDS OF THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE

“Sparrow” is a story about the ironies of life, told with detachment and intelligent humor. In it, absurdity meets truth and a touch of magic realism. Starring Jacek Borusiński, Julia Chętnicka, Krzysztof Stroiński, Piotr Rogucki, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff. The screenplay, music and director is Tomasz Gąssowski. It will premiere in theaters on August 23. We present the trailer and poster of the film.

– I have always appreciated films that tell about important things in a light and funny way. I would like there to be such, if only a little, truth about man in this film of mine,” says Tomasz Gąssowski. He is an award-winning filmmaker, composer of music for Andrzej Jakimowski’s films (including “Tricks”, “Squint Your Eyes”, MocArt RMF Classic for the best film music in 2013 for “Imagine”) and director (“Baraż” was recognized with numerous awards, including at the Warsaw Film Festival, the National Film Art Festival “Prowincjonalia”, the Lubuskie Film Summer, the International Film and Music Festival “Transatlantyk”).

The lead role is played by Jacek Borusiński, who also starred in the director’s previous film, “Baraż”.
– We both pay very close attention to nuances, details, small things, but important things that make us laugh and move us. Tomek has an incredible ability to show big, important things in a light-hearted way, in a world somewhere far from the center, on the outskirts, where our protagonist, Remek Sparrow, lives – a tragicomic and, above all, I hope, true character,” the actor stresses.

ABOUT THE FILM “SPARROW”

Remek Sparrow is a letter carrier and an avid football player of an amateur team. He is reaching his forties and leads the life of a bachelor. He passionately studies the encyclopedia, practicing his extraordinary memory. Apart from his revolving friend Pedro, who runs a shady business, he has no one close to him in the world. And he is fine with that. One day everything changes – his well-ordered life turns upside down, to which a new, talkative neighbor Marzenka and a grandfather, whom he has not known so far, unexpectedly appear in it. Remek will have to learn how to make lemonade when life gives you lemons.

The lead role of the letter carrier, whose whole life suddenly changes, is played by Jacek Borusiński, co-founder of the Mumio Group. He is partnered by Julia Chętnicka (who delighted in “The Queen” alongside Andrzej Seweryn), Krzysztof Stroinski, Piotr Rogucki, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Agnieszka Matysiak. In roles that are unusual for them, episodic appearances will be made by the great name of the advertising world Iwo Zaniewski, legendary sports commentator Stefan Szczepłek, Wojciech Fiedorczuk, known for stand-up, footballer Radek Majewski, and journalist Michał Ogórek.

The film’s cinematographer is Wojciech Staroń, His work includes cinematography for such films as “Papusza” (with Krzysztof Ptak), “Savior’s Square” and “Birds are Singing in Kigali.” He has received many awards for his work in Poland and around the world, including the Silver Bear at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival.

The film is produced by Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM). Distribution will be handled by NEXT FILM.

SPARROW

director and script: TOMASZ GĄSSOWSKI
producer: ROBERT KIJAK
cast: JACEK BORUSIŃSKI, KRZYSZTOF STROIŃSKI, JULIA CHĘTNICKA, PIOTR ROGUCKI, AGNIESZKA MATYSIAK
photos: WOJCIECH STAROŃ PSC
scenography: ANNA PABISIAK
costumes: SANDRA KOWALSKA
make-up: PRZEMYSŁAW SMOLIŃSKI, ANNA GOROŃSKA
cast direction: TOMASZ GĄSSOWSKI, MARTYNA JAKUBIAK
editing: AGNIESZKA GRONOWICZ
sound: RADOSŁAW OCHNIO
music: TOMASZ GĄSSOWSKI
line producer: ANNA ORSKA – OLSZEWSKA
production manager: ANNA PALKA
production and distribution: NEXT FILM
co-producer: ABSTRACTION PLAN
co-financed by: POLISH INSTITUTE OF FILM ART.

The film was produced in cooperation with Amazon Prime Video.

FILM PRODUCED IN POLAND WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THE ACT ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION, GRANTED BY THE POLISH INSTITUTE OF FILM ART FROM THE FUNDS OF THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE

Four alcoholics and two tanks of spirit to smuggle for a good cause. What could go wrong? Viewers will find out the answer on September 20, when “The A(A) Team” hits theaters. In the latest film by the creators of the hit “Johnny,” we will see: Danuta Stenka, Łukasz Simlat, Magdalena Cielecka, Michał Żurawski, Maria Sobocińska, Mikołaj Kubacki and Leszek Lichota. Daniel Jaroszek is responsible for directing, and Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM) is producing. Today we present the poster and trailer of the film.

To save their therapeutic center, four cross-addicted alcoholics undertake to smuggle two tankers of spirit across Poland. For their safety, they kidnap their therapist on the road. However, the journey turns out to be more dangerous than they expected, because following them – or rather the illegally transported alcohol – is also followed by a Customs Officer, who is not entirely who she says she is. From then on, everything gets complicated. Will Leszek, Wiola, Dominik, Karolina, and Wojtek manage to complete the mission, but also not succumb to weakness and stop the therapy?

The creators of the hit “Johnny”, a film that first triumphed in cinemas (over a million tickets sold) and then on streaming platforms, invited both the most recognized actors and rising stars of the young generation to cooperate on their latest project. In the film “Team A(A)” we will see Danuta Stenka, Łukasz Simlat, Magdalena Cielecka, Michał Żurawski, Maria Sobocińska, Mikołaj Kubacki, and Leszek Lichota.

The script’s authors are Jacek Wasilewski and Tomasz Kwaśniewski, and the director is Daniel Jaroszek. “The A(A) Team” is another NEXT FILM production, produced by Robert Kijak.

YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING, EVEN MORE IN A GROUP

Original humor, surprising plot twists, moving stories, and the power of mutual support. “The A(A) Team” is an entertaining film that entertains, moves, and forces you to reflect.

– My basic hope lies in the fact that viewers will feel that “The A(A) Team” ends positively. Despite all the dilemmas of our heroes, not only related to drinking alcohol and not drinking, but above all with their own lives and emotions that they cannot cope with, the film will leave an obvious door to the fact that there is always a light on the horizon. You just need to notice it and meet people who will help you see it – says Łukasz Simlat, who plays the therapist.

“The A(A) Team” is produced in cooperation with Amazon Prime Video. The project is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

“The A(A) Team” in cinemas from September 20.

***
TEAM A(A)
PREMIERE: SEPTEMBER 20
Directed by: Daniel Jaroszek
Script: Tomasz Kwaśniewski, Jacek Wasilewski
Producer: Robert Kijak
Cast: Danuta Stenka, Maria Sobocińska, Magdalena Cielecka, Łukasz Simlat, Michał Żurawski, Mikołaj Kubacki
Photos: Michał Dąbal PSC
Scenography: Karolina Rączka
Costumes: Zofia Komasa
Make-up: Liliana Gałązka
Cast director: Konrad Bugaj
Editing: Maciej Kozłowski PSM
Sound: Sebastian Brański, Wojciech Mielimąka MPSE, Adam Szlenda MPSE
Music: Maciej Dobrowolski
Line producer: Anna Orska-Olszewska
Production manager: Michał Lipski
Production and distribution: NEXT FILM
Co-producer: TVN Warner Bros. Discovery
Co-financing: Polish Film Institute

The film was created in cooperation with Amazon Prime Video.

FILM MADE IN POLAND WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THE ACT ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION, AWARDED BY THE POLISH FILM INSTITUTE FROM THE FUNDS OF THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE

“Kleks and the Invention of Filip Shaver,” directed by Maciej Kawulski, the second film installment of the biggest Polish hit of recent years, will hit theaters on January 3, 2025. However, the first preview screenings will kick off later this year – similar to the first installment at Christmas. Professor Ambrose Kleks, Ada Niezgódka and Albert will return to cinema screens. There will also be a key new character – Filip Golarz. In this role Janusz Chabior. We present the first photos.

What will the continuation of “Mr. Kleks Academy,” or “Kleks and the invention of Philip Shaver,” be about? After a summer break, Ada Niezgódka returns to the Academy to solve the mystery of the origin of her friend Albert. At the same time, Professor Kleks goes to the real world to find a friend from years ago. It turns out that both leads lead to a former graduate of the Academy – Philip called Shaver….

I waited a while, but finally the character of Philip Shaver, whom I had the pleasure of playing, appears in full force in the “Mr. Kleks Academy” trilogy. Philip returns to take revenge for the rejected love and humiliation he experienced at the Academy. Will he succeed in destroying the Academy? I know what will happen, and viewers must wait until January 3 and the official premiere,” says Janusz Chabior, who plays a new but key character in the story.

If the first part of “Mr. Blossom’s Academy” ignited children’s imagination, the second part will not only shine even brighter, but also show completely new gateways to spaces that were previously closed even to adults. Is it possible to love a robot? When creating it, is it possible to remain indifferent to its human element? Every one of us once in a while has to leave his comfort zone and go to the real world. The whole trick is to make the real world the comfort zone. See how these issues are dealt with by those whom all of Poland has come to love,” says Maciej Kawulski, who created the extraordinary magical world and directed both films.

The first part of the series, “Mr. Blossom’s Academy,” attracted a record 2.9 million viewers to theaters. In turn, it reached audiences in 190 countries and dozens of language groups on the streaming platform.

Listen to the soundtrack from the first part of the film

Order the physical album

ABOUT THE FILM “KLEKS AND THE INVENTION OF PHILIP SHAVER”.

The character of Ambrose Kleks is played by Tomasz Kot. The film’s Filip Golarz is played by Janusz Chabior. Ada Niezgódka is played by Antonina Litwiniak, and the film’s robot boy, Albert – Konrad Repinski . Piotr Fronczewski, Sebastian Stankiewicz and Agnieszka Grochowska also appear on screen.

The film’s screenplay, from which director Maciej Kawulski was able to create the fairy-tale world of “Kleks and the invention of Filip Golarz,” was written by Krzysztof Gureczny and Agnieszka Kruk. OPEN MIND PRODUCTION is responsible for the film’s production, and NEXT FILM is responsible for its distribution.

KLEKS AND THE INVENTION OF PHILIP SHAVER

Premiere: January 3

Starring: Antonina Litwiniak, Tomasz Kot, Janusz Chabior, Piotr Fronczewski, Agnieszka Grochowska, Daniel Walasek, Konrad Repinski

Directed by: Maciej Kawulski

Screenplay: Krzysztof Gureczny, Agnieszka Kruk, Maciej Kawulski

Photography: Bartek Cierlica PSC

Casting: Marta Wojciechowicz

Editing: Marcin Drewnowski PSM, Maciej Kawulski

Producers: Tomasz Wardyn, Maciej Kawulski

Original music: Mateusz “Matheo” Schmidt, Patryk Kumór, Dominic Buczkowski-Wojtaszek, Andrzej Korzyński

Character design: Karolina Kordas, Alina Janerka, Wanda Tatucha-Kędzierzawska

Costumes: Kaja Rogacz, Agnieszka Osipa

Set Design: Daria Dwornik

VFX Supervisor: Szymon Kania

Sound design: Marcin Kasiński MPSE

Line producer: Piotr Bogusz

Production: Open Mind Production

Co-production: Grzegorz Pietraszewski, Bajka Pana Kleksa, Mazowiecki i Warszawski

Film Fund, NEXT FILM, TVN Warner Bros. Discovery, IBRA, Blazej Hermanowicz, JAKE VISION, Platinium

Towers Management, Flame Natalia Swiec, Hollywood Hair, MSL.

Co-financed by: Polish Film Institute

Film partners: InPost, City of Katowice, LEGO, Motus, Steakhouse, Bakalland.

Official carrier: LOT Polish Airlines

Charity partners: Omena Mensah Foundation, Rafal Brzoska Foundation.

Social partner: Avalon Foundation

Strategic partner: VISA

Distribution: NEXT FILM

On May 10 cinemas will be taken over by “Supersisters” – a film about superheros, full of spectacular special effects, directed by Maciej Barczewski. Playing the title sisters, Katarzyna Gałązka and Karolina Bruchnicka will talk about the fact that having powers is one thing, the art is to control them. On screen we will also see Tymek Frączek, Grzegorz Damięcki, Mateusz Kościukiewicz and Marek Kalita. Today we present the film’s poster.

– With this film, I reached out to myself as a 12-year-old who passionately watched American adventure films produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin studio, and in the early 1990s read the first X-Men comic books published in Poland, says the film’s director Maciej Barczewski. – As the film’s title itself directly indicates, “Supersisters” is also a tribute to the lighter trend of superhero cinema aimed at the whole family. After all, films are not only mirrors commenting on the reality around us, but also windows to the land of imagination, which allow us to move to a close, though unknown world, to give us a little smile and respite from the mundane of everyday life. That’s why “Supersisters” is a thoroughly entertaining cinema, using the tropes and manner of storytelling familiar from Hollywood productions, but set in the colorful Poland of the time of transformation with a wink of an eye.

WHAT IS THE MOVIE “SUPERSISTERS” ABOUT

Teenage Ala does not fit into the provincial world around her. She constantly rebels and acts out against her father, a physics teacher at the local school. When Ala accidentally discovers that she has superpowers and meets her sister Lena, whom she didn’t know existed, her life turns upside down – literally. The trail of girls endowed with supernatural powers is followed by the Colonel and his dangerous companion Hector from the secret Department 92.The goal of the soldiers is to create a powerful new generation weapon. To get it they are willing to sacrifice a lot, even the lives of sisters. After years of separation, will AlA and Lena be able to join forces and cooperate? Will the supersisters move to rescue not only each other, but also the world?

“Supersisters” stars Katarzyna Galazka (“Klangor,” “Bring Back Alice”), Karolina Bruchnicka (“The Coach’s Daughter,” “Minute of Silence”) and Tymek Frączek, making his big screen debut. They are partnered by Grzegorz Damięcki, Mateusz Kościuszkiewicz and Marek Kalita.

The film’s director is Maciej Barczewski, who also created the script in cooperation with Krzysztof Gureczny.”Supersisters” was produced by Aurum Film, a studio whose credits include the Oscar-nominated film “Corpus Christi,” the Netflix hit “All My Friends Are Dead,” and the award-winning “Blackbird.” NEXT FILM, which has brought such hits as “The Peasants,” “Kleks Academy” and “Too Old for Fairy Tales 2,” is responsible for distribution.

The creators of the films “The Peasants” and “Doppelgänger. The Double” received the Eagles – Polish Film Awards yesterday. Our last year’s premieres were awarded three statuettes, including the Audience Award (the winner was selected by voting by Internet users).

Painting animation, directed by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman, received the Audience Award. The BreakThru Films production brought an Eagle for Best Music to Lukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski for the film’s acclaimed soundtrack. The most famous track from the album, “Autumn – Dance”, has so far garnered 8.3 million views on You Tube and more than 15 million on Spotify.

These aren’t the only recent recognition for “The Peasants” – Kamila Urzędowska, the film’s Jagna, received the European Shooting Stars – Rising Star of European Cinema award from European Film Promotion at the 74th IFF in Berlin.

“Doppelgänger. The Double,” a psychological thriller produced by TVN Warner Bros. Discovery brought the statuette for Best Supporting Actor to Tomasz Schuchardt. This is another collaboration between the actor and director Jan Holoubek.

“Most moving as a perfect love story” – this is what one could read about the film “Woman of…” Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert could be read in reviews after the world premiere at the prestigious Venice Film Festival (The Film Verdict). It’s a tender story about the struggle for oneself, but also about the beauty of true intimacy, starring Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Joanna Kulig, Mateusz Więcławek and Bogumiła Bajor. Polish premiere on April 5. The trailer is already online.

– It is not easy to tell the entire life story of one person, nor is it easy to capture their heart and soul and feelings and sufferings and joys and experiences in a coherent and captivating story that anyone can connect with – Alex Billington of FirstShowing.net wrote in Venice, emphasizing that Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert have succeeded. The film received nothing but positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes – the world’s editors spared no praise for the Polish production:

It holds its audience with the sheer, plangent emotional force of its storytelling, and via an enormously sympathetic lead performance by Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik…  – Variety

An affecting portrait of hope and hard-won self-knowledge  – The Hollywood Reporter

A subtle film with revolutionary potential – Cineuropa

A sprawling, lyrical and senstive journey of a woman becoming her true self  – Indiewire

There is a wonderftul quality tom Szumowska and Englert’s direction in how they portray opitimism and small acts of kindnesss – Awardswatch

In addition to Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Joanna Kulig, Mateusz Więcławek and Bogumiła Bajor, the film stars Jerzy Bończak, Anna Tomaszewska, Jacek Braciak, Renata Dancewicz, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Tomasz Schuchardt, Mikołaj Grabowski, among others.

The world premiere of the film took place at the Venice International Film Festival (Main Competition). Subsequently, it was screened at numerous festivals around the world: Busan IFF, Sao Paolo IFF, Thessaloniki FF, Scanorama, QCinema FF, Goa FF, Tbilisi IFF, Les Arcs and Gothenburg. In the near future, “Woman with…” will be seen by audiences at the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival, International Film Festival of Uruguay, Crossing the Screen IFF, Istanbul IFF, Sofia IFF, University College London, Polish Film Festival in Singapore, Seattle IFF, Sydney IFF, Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara and Munich IFF.
At the invitation of Miuccia Prada, there will be a special screening at Fundazione Prada in Milan. The filmmakers also have their first screenings in the United States ahead of them.

“Woman of…” will enter theaters throughout Europe – the film has been sold to Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Benelux, Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland, Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. International sales agent, Memento International, is in talks in the UK and North America.

WOMAN WITH…
Genre: drama
Country: Poland, Sweden
Language: Polish
Year: 2023

The story of Aniela Merry. She led an ordinary life – growing up in a small town, work, love, marriage, family. However, she could never be fully herself – Aniela was born in a male body. What choices will she make? Will she be ready to sacrifice everything so that she can live a normal and fear-free life?

THE PLAYERS:
Aniela – Malgorzata Hajewska
Iza – Joanna Kulig
Young Aniela – Mateusz Więcławek
Young Iza – Bogumiła Bajor
and: Jerzy Bończak, Anna Tomaszewska, Jacek Braciak, Franciszek Englert, Renata Dancewicz, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Piotr Bondyra, Pola Gonciarz, Mikołaj Chroboczek, Tomasz Schuchardt, Mikołaj Grabowski, Helena Sujecka, Krystyna Krotoska, Piotr Polak, Mirosław Kropielnicki, Paweł Tomaszewski and Piotr Cyrwus.

EKIPA:
Director: Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert
Screenplay: Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert
Cinematography: Michal Englert
Editing: Jarosław Kamiński
Production design: Marek Zawierucha
Costumes: Anna Englert
Character design: Waldemar Pokromski and Monika Kaleta
Sound on set: Marcin Jachyra
Sound: Marcin Kasinski, Filip Krzemień
Music: Jimek
Production: NOMAD Films, Plio Limited
In co-production with: Film i Väst, Common Ground Pictures
Producers: Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Katarzyna Jordan-Kulczyk, Grzegorz Jankilevitsch, Bogna Szewczyk-Skupień, Małgorzata Szumowska, Michał Englert
Co-producers: Jonas Kellagher, Kristina Börjeson
Production co-financed by the Polish Film Institute

The adventures of Kargul and Pawlak warmed the hearts of viewers again. A film with a star cast “Our Folks: The Beginning” attracted over 220,000 viewers to cinemas on its premiere weekend.

The film “Our Folks: The Beginning” was watched by over 220,000 viewers during the premiere weekend. The invitation to the project by Artur Żmijewski turned out to be a hit.

I was a little afraid, but unjustly, because the film “Our Folks: The Beginning” turned out to be a successful film. (…) We should be happy that this story fits the already-known story – said Tomasz Raczek in his video review on YouTube channel.

I have the feeling that Artur Żmijewski has defused the bomb of expectations. As a director making his debut in a full-length feature, he created an extremely warm and captivating story about characters whom millions of Poles know very well. And this is a backbreaking task – we are talking about a script related to film legends. (…) I don’t have a feeling of desecrated sanctity. This film is a bit like a warm blanket you wrap yourself in on a cold evening – wrote Justyna Bryczkowska from kultura.gazeta.pl (link)

Reviewers praise the script of the film “Our Folks: The Beginning” which was written by Andrzej Mularczyk, the creator of all parts of the now cult productions about Pawalak and Kargul. However, they emphasize that it is thanks to Artur Żmijewski’s efficient direction that the story described several dozen years ago is understandable to a modern viewer.

The humor in Żmijewski’s film can only be compared to the original. (…) It must be admitted that Arkadiusz Mularczyk’s script is engaging. And not only those who know “Our Folks” by heart. For them, it will be a sentimental trip to Krużewniki, and for the young – a not-at-all-boring trip into the past – wrote Magdalena Drozdek for Wp Film

Critics also praise Adam Bobik, who, when creating his character of Władysław Pawlak, skillfully incorporated elements that Wacław Kowalski also admired over half a century ago.

If it can be said that “Our Folks: The Beginning” finally stands up as a production and film compared to the earlier trilogy, it is also thanks to Adam Bobik, who used Mularczyk’s script as the young Pawlak, full of characteristic sayings, dialect, and funny repartee – wrote Jacek Cieślak from Rzeczpospolita

Waldi and his friends set off on a journey on the mission to find Dad. Will be accomplished? Viewers will find out the answer on March 15, when “Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” hits theaters. The highly anticipated film directed by Kristoffer Rus will once again talk about issues that are important for both children and parents while entertaining and moving to tears. The cast includes the talented youth trio known from the first part: Maciej Karaś, Amelia Fijałkowska and Patryk Siemek. They are accompanied on-screen by Karolina Gruszka, Dorota Kolak, Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski and Grzegorz Małecki. We present the trailer of the film.

– It’s a family movie. A perfect idea for how to spend time together in a way that’s fun, moving and meaningful, and that there’s something to talk about after the screening, says Karolina Gruszka. The actress again played the role of Teresa, the main character’s mother. Her partner is played by Paweł Domagała, who gives the following reasons for accepting the role in the continuation of the family hit:

– I liked the first part very much. A warm, charming, and good film. Plus, it’s one of my daughter’s favorite movies, so it’s nice to be able to impress my child.

He also praises the young actors: – I will never say a bad word about young people again. I learned a lot from them, it’s very cool that they are confident. It turns out that maybe the generation difference is not that significant after all. We have similar dreams but different means of expression. I am very encouraged and delighted to work with these young people.

Michał Żurawski and Grzegorz Małecki also joined the cast. The crazy aunt Mariolka, beloved by viewers, will also appear on the screen. Played by Dorota Kolak, the actress emphasizes that the film is also worth seeing because of the locations where it was made:
– Places in the Tatra Mountains are so beautiful that they take your breath away – he encourages.

“Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” is a continuation of the family hit that delighted critics, attracted crowds to cinemas and triumphed on VOD. The film is directed, as in the case of the first part, by Kristoffer Rus, with the script written by Agnieszka Dąbrowska. The producer is Pokromski Studio, and the distributor is NEXT FILM.

“Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” will hit cinema screens on March 15, but fans of Waldi the Mighty the First can be carried away by the adventure on February 28. That’s when a novel with the same title based on the film’s script will be released. Its author is Agnieszka Dąbrowska, a screenwriter, who also wrote the first part of the book, “Too Old for Fairy Tales”.

– Perfect reading for the whole family, not only because of its funny nature and family atmosphere, but also because of important topics, such as the contact between a child and its parent, which is often discussed time spent together, and mutual respect. If you like realistic adventures, full of emotions, good humor and wicked adversities, this book is for you! – he wrote about the book “Too Old for Fairy Tales” in the blog Naszabajce.pl

Our three titles – “Doppelgänger. Doppelganger”, “Chłopi” and “Kleks’ Academy” – were among the nominees for the Eagles – Polish Film Awards. The films received a total of 22 nominations in 15 categories! The winners will be announced on March 4.

The biggest Polish cinema hit of 2023 – “The Peasants” – received 8 nominations. The painting animation directed by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman, produced by BreakThru Films, competes in 8 categories: best film (DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman), best leading female role (Kamila Urzędowska), best supporting female role (Ewa Kasprzyk), best music ( Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski), best costumes (Katarzyna Lewińska), best sound (Michał Jankowski) and Discovery of the year (Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski and Kamila Urzędowska). “The Peasants” got over 1.8 million admissions in Poland. The special edition of the novel by Wladysław Reymont, illustrated with the works of painters from the film crew and the album with the soundtrack also turned out to be a great success.

“Doppelgänger. Doppelganger”, a psychological thriller directed by Jan Holoubek, produced by TVN Warner Bros. Discovery received 13 nominations. It has a chance for statuettes in the following categories: best film and best director (Jan Holoubek), best screenplay (Andrzej Gołda), best leading male role (Jakub Gierszał), best supporting female role (Katarzyna Herman), best supporting male role (Tomasz Schuchardt) , best costumes (Weronika Orlińska), best editing (Rafał Listopad), best sound (Kacper Habisiak, Marcin Kasiński and Przemysław Kamieński), best make-up (Mirela Zawiszewska and Justyna Osińska), best cinematography (Bartłomiej Kaczmarek), best set design (Marek Warszewski , Maciej Fajst), best music (Jan Komar), best cinematography (Bartłomiej Kaczmarek).

This year’s hit, that had pre-premiere screenings n December, was also nominated – “Kleks’ Academy”, directed by Maciej Kawulski, produced by Open Mind Productions, was appreciated in the best make-up category (Karolina Kordas and Alina Janerka). “Kleks’ Academy” so far has over 2 million 300 admissions and is still in cinemas.

Record admissions at pre-premiere screenings. A record-breaking opening weekend in Box Office. This time, “Kleks Academy” can boast itsef as  Polish film with the largest audience since 2020. Directed by Maciej Kawulski, the story about Professor Kleks’s extraordinary school has already got 2,048,776 admissions. Since the pandemic, no domestic production has managed to exceed this magical two-million barrier.

Viewers fell in love with the magical world of “Kleks Academy” and flocked to cinemas. Director Maciej Kawulski talks about how to create a film that resonates with the most demanding audience, i.e. children:

We decided that we all need to become children for a moment and look at what we do from this perspective. This meant that we had to leave ourselves and find the child within us, let go of ourselves as an adult. Each of us has that boy somewhere on the side who is 12-13 years old. It was at this age that all our biggest problems and traumas arose. If you stop and sit next to this guy and ask him: “What’s bothering you, man?”, it will suddenly turn out that this person wants to come to you, sit on your lap, hug you. And that’s how you become that child, because he is you and you are him. And even if we enjoy slightly different things, from a child’s perspective we were all afraid of the same thing. Bah! To this day, we are afraid of the same things, we dream about the same things and we need friendship and love, which is very visible in this world.

KLEKS LIVE ACADEMY – MUSICAL SCHOOL OF IMAGINATION

From the cinema screen to the largest entertainment halls in Poland – film and music stars associated with the “Klek Academy” will be seen during a spectacular multimedia show that will visit seven cities in Poland.

The magical world, full of fantastic characters and thrilling adventures, will continue in a spectacular live performance. The Kleks Academy – Musical School of Imagination starts on February 24 at the Atlas Arena in Łódź and will visit six other cities and the largest entertainment halls in Poland by the end of April. Spectacles with lots of visual and musical surprises, prepared in a special concert formula, await viewers in Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Warsaw, Tricity, Kraków and Katowice.

In addition to a lot of fun and education for the whole family, each show will be an opportunity to meet live the actors who took part in the making of the film. Ada Niezgódka, known from the big screen, i.e. Antonina Litwiniak, will invite you to Kleks Academy Live – Musical School of Imagination. Sebastian Stankiewicz, the film’s Mateusz the Bird, will also take viewers on an exciting journey to the land of creativity and magic. Apart from them, the stage will also feature, among others: Daniel Walasek – Prince Vincent, Konrad Repiński – Albert and Jana Jachimek, who played Serdel. Musical stars will also perform – Carla Fernandes and Oskar Cyms, known from the song “To the stars” accompanying the premiere of “Kleks Academy” (“To the stars”) – Carla Fernandes and Oskar Cyms.

All information about Kleks Live Academy – Musical School of Imagination can be obtained at https://www.ebilet.pl/rodzina/widowiska/pan-kleks-na-zywo

ABOUT THE FILM “KLEKS’ ACADEMY”

Imagine a world created by your unlimited imagination. A world where you can smell color and hear its taste. It is a world drawn by a child’s mind, but just like every drawing it has its outlines, just like every world, even the most beautiful, has its rules. What if you break them? This fairy tale is still being written… And it is written by outstanding Polish actors – including: Tomasz Kot, who plays Ambroży Kleks, and Antonina Litwiniak, who plays Ada Niezgódka. Piotr Fronczewski, Danuta Stenka, Sebastian Stankiewicz and Agnieszka Grochowska also appear on the screen.

The film script, on the basis of which director Maciej Kawulski could create the fairy-tale world of “Kleks Academy”, was written by Krzysztof Gureczny and Agnieszka Kruk. OPEN MIND PRODUCTION is responsible for the production of the film, and NEXT FILM is responsible for distribution.

The creators of the hit “Johnny”, which won the hearts of cinema goers (one million admissions!) and then television and streaming audiences, are back with a new project. The title of the star-studded movie is “The AA Team”. Daniel Jaroszek is again responsible for directing, and Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM) is producing. The cast includes: Danuta Stenka, Łukasz Simlat, Magdalena Cielecka, Michał Żurawski, Maria Sobocińska, Mikołaj Kubacki and Leszek Lichota. We present the first stills from the film.

SUPPORT GROUP… FOR SPECIAL TASKS

What is the movie about? In order to save their therapeutic center, four cross-addicted alcoholics undertake to smuggle two tankers of spirit across Poland. For their own safety, they kidnap their therapist on the trip. However, the journey turns out to be more dangerous than they expected, because following them – or rather the illegal alcohol they are transporting – is a Customs Officer, who is not entirely who she says she is. From then on, everything gets complicated. Will Leszek, Wiola, Dominik, Karolina and Wojtek manage to complete the mission, but also not succumb to weakness and interrupt the therapy?

“The AA Team” is a story about mutual support, thanks to which you can overcome your own weaknesses. And also about how important good goals in life are for this victory. But no one said it would be easy – especially when temptation is so close…

EMOTIONS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

– The huge success of “Johnny” proved that the audience loves smart and accessible cinema that is able to combine entertainment and a deeper message. The comments that we have received and continue to receive with subsequent premieres on streaming and television platforms only confirm our belief that the best stories are those that trigger emotions in viewers and make them reflect. This will also be present in “The AA Team”, says Robert Kijak, the film’s producer.

– We have been looking for an aesthetic way to tell this story for a long time, but I hope that the final effect and the visual side of the film will be a breath of freshness and a big surprise for most viewers. We managed to create an extremely colorful and unusual world, using relics of the architecture of the Polish People’s Republic and the early 1990s, but giving them a new meaning. Thanks to this, we gave our wonderful actors a unique background to play a story that – I deeply believe – will make you laugh and will move you – says Daniel Jaroszek, director of the film, for whom “Johnny” was a feature film debut.

The authors of the script are Jacek Wasilewski and Tomasz Kwaśniewski. This is another NEXT FIILM own production, produced by Robert Kijak.

The film is produced in cooperation with Amazon Prime Video. The project is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

Premiere in cinemas: autumn 2024.

THE AA TEAM

Featuring: Danuta Stenka (Wiola), Maria Sobocińska (Karolina), Łukasz Simlat (Wojtek), Michał Żurawski (Leszek), Mikołaj Kubacki (Dominik), Magdalena Cielecka (Celnik) and Leszek Lichota (Bruno)
Directed by: Daniel Jaroszek
Script: Jacek Wasilewski, Tomasz Kwaśniewski
Producer: Robert Kijak
Co-producers: TVN
Photos: Michał Dąbal PSC
Scenography: Karolina Rączka
Costumes: Zofia Komasa
Make-up: Liliana Gałązka
Casting director: Konrad Bugaj
Editing: Maciej Kozłowski PSM
Sound: Sebastian Brański, Wojciech Mielimąka
Music: Maciej Dobrowolski
Production manager: Michał Lipski
Line producer: Anna Orska-Olszewska
Production: NEXT FILM
Distribution: NEXT FILM

The power of friendship, adventure and emotion. “Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” directed by Kristoffer Rus is a sequel of the family hit that delighted critics, attracted crowds to cinemas and triumphed on VOD. In cinemas from March 15. Maciej Karaś, Amelia Fijałkowska and Patryk Siemek will appear on the screen again. As in the first part, they will be accompanied by Karolina Gruszka and Dorota Kolak. The cast was joined by, among others: Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski and Grzegorz Małecki. See the teaser and poster of the film.

Favorite gaming trio is back! This time Waldek, Staszek and Delfina will experience a summer full of adventures in the Tatra Mountains. During the trip, Waldek accidentally learns that his father lives in the area, about whom he only heard from his mother that he abandoned their family a long time ago. The boy decides to find him at all costs and ask him personally about the reasons for this decision. Together with Staszek, under the cover of darkness, they set out to search. The dangers that await them on the mountain trail are nothing compared to the task that Delfina receives. A creative teenager must hide the truth about the boys’ disappearance from her unaware aunt, Waldek’s mother, and… her new partner. What disruptions will this secret mission bring to the lives of all the heroes? Will Waldek receive answers to the questions that torment him and understand his father’s actions?

“Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” is an engaging, humorous story for the whole family about the power of friendship, facing both adversities and the truth. Maciej Karaś, who played Waldek, Amelia Fijałkowska, who played Delfina, and Patryk Siemek, who played Staszek, met again on the set. Young talented artists comment on their participation in the project:

There are several reasons. First of all, working on the first part of the film was an amazing adventure that I experienced with absolutely wonderful people. And I wanted to experience it again. Secondly, “Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” is a story about what is really important to teenagers. I couldn’t miss it. And thirdly, I have always wanted to be an actress, so on the set I fulfilled my dreams and… gained experience – says Amelia Fijałkowska.

The film raises important issues that affect many of us and which are sometimes worth talking about – adds Maciek Karaś – before the premiere of the first part, I was sure and convinced that if a sequel is made, it will be a great pleasure for me to participate in it. When I received the offer, I immediately agreed.

While recording the first part, we talked with Maciek (Waldek) that it would be great if there was a continuation of the film. When I found out that filming for the second part was starting, I didn’t hesitate for a second. A mega team, great atmosphere, and a very interesting script made working on the set a pure pleasure for me – says Patryk Siemek.

Karolina Gruszka and Dorota Kolak will also appear on the screen again. Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski and Grzegorz Małecki joined the cast.

The film is directed by Kristoffer Rus and written by Agnieszka Dąbrowska. The producer of “Too Old For Fairy Tales 2” is Pokromski Studio. NEXT FILM is responsible for distribution. The film will be released in theaters on March 15, 2024.

TOO OLD FOR FAIRY TALES 2

March 15, 2024

Cast: Maciej Karaś, Amelia Fijałkowska, Patryk Siemek, Karolina Gruszka, Dorota Kolak, Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski, Grzegorz Małecki

Director: Kristoffer Rus

Script: Agnieszka Dąbrowska

Photos: Jakub Stolecki

Scenography: Aleksandra Kierzkowska

Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska

Make-up: Waldemar Pokromski, Marta Szczerkowska

Sound: Grzegorz Kucharski
Editing: Marcin Komar Konarzewski

Music: Karim Martusewicz

Producer: Mikołaj Pokromski

Production: Pokromski Studio

Co-production: Krakow Festival Office Operator Krakow Film Commission

Co-financing: Polish Film Institute, Krakow Film Fund, Krakow Municipality

Distribution: NEXT FILM

Shooting for the film “Kulej” (working title) directed by Xawery Żuławski has ended. This is a story about one of the greatest Polish boxers of all time and an outstanding athlete of the 20th century – Jerzy Kulej.

The main roles in the film will be played by: Tomasz Włosok, Michalina Olszańska, Andrzej Chyra and Tomasz Kot. The director and co-author of the script is Xawery Żuławski. This project is the fulfillment of his dreams related to the 1960s, where real people, full of emotions and color, were an important part of society. The film will take viewers to the realities of the past period, showing the great love of Jerzy and Helena Kuleja, their path in the world of boxing, rock’n’roll, two Olympics and the fascinating flirtation of sport with politics and the underworld of those times.

The film’s premiere is scheduled for October 2024.

“Kleks Academy”, directed by Maciej Kawulski, broke attendance records already during its pre-premiere screenings. This time it triumphs after the opening weekend. The film, which went into regular distribution on Friday, already got 840,000 admissions. This is the best result after the opening weekend among all films in Polish box office since 2020, i.e. since the pandemic.

I am very happy that “Kleks Academy” turned out to be an extraordinary adventure not only for me, but also for the viewers. And that together we can write this wonderful fairy tale – says Antonina Litwiniak, who plays the role of Ada Niezgódka.

Fans of the enchanted world of Kleks Academy who want to once again feel the thrill of this extraordinary adventure can do so with the book “Kleks. A New Beginning”. A perfect complement will be the soundtrack from the film featuring the biggest stars of the Polish music scene, available on all streaming platforms, including: sanah, Artur Rojek, Mróz, Kaśka Sochacka, Sokół.

Listen to the soundtrack from the movie

Additionally, Kleks Academy starts live in February! The spectacular Musical School of Imagination will take place in the largest halls in Poland (in Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Warsaw, Tricity, Katowice and Kraków). Kleks Academy Live – Musical School of Imagination is a large portion of fun and education for the whole family, carried out in a spectacular formula. Lots of visual and musical surprises await participants. More information about the route can be found at: www.kleksnazywo.pl

Although “Kleks Academy” directed by Maciej Kawulski will not be released on a regular basis until January 5, it has already conquered cinemas. The film about the enchanted school of Professor Ambroży Kleks so far has 438,000 admissions. This is a record result for pre-premiere screenings in the history of the Polish box office.

When we started working on the film, I knew that Kleks would remember himself, but in my sincerest dreams I did not expect such a result and such a great reception. We wholeheartedly thank the children, both the small and the big ones. Thanks to you, the news about the world of imagination is spreading faster and wider – says Maciej Kawulski, director and producer of the film.

What is the film “Kleks Academy” about?

Imagine a world created by your unlimited imagination. A world where you can smell color and hear its taste. It is a world drawn by a child’s mind, but just as every drawing has its outlines, every world, even the most beautiful, has its rules. What if you break them? This fairy tale is still being written… And it is written by outstanding Polish actors – including: Tomasz Kot, who plays Ambroży Kleks, and Antonina Litwiniak, who plays Ada Niezgódka. Piotr Fronczewski also appears on screen as the mysterious Doctor.

The film script, on the basis of which director Maciej Kawulski could create the fairy-tale world of “Kleks Academy”, was written by Krzysztof Gureczny and Agnieszka Kruk. OPEN MIND PRODUCTION is responsible for the production of the film, and NEXT FILM is responsible for distribution.

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KLEKS ACADEMY

Premiere: January 5

Starring: Antonina Litwiniak, Tomasz Kot, Piotr Fronczewski, Danuta Stenka, Agnieszka Grochowska, Sebastian Stankiewicz, Daniel Walasek, Konrad Repiński

Directed by: Maciej Kawulski

Script: Krzysztof Gureczny, Agnieszka Kruk, Maciej Kawulski

Photos: Bartek Cierlica PSC

Casting: Marta Wojciechowicz

Editing: Marcin Drewnowski PSM, Maciej Kawulski

Producers: Tomasz Wardyn, Maciej Kawulski

Original music: Mateusz “Matheo” Schmidt, Patryk Kumór, Dominic Buczkowski-Wojtaszek, Andrzej Korzyński

Make-up: Karolina Kordas, Alina Janerka, Wanda Tatucha-Kędzierzawska

Costumes: Kaja Rogacz, Agnieszka Osipa

Scenography: Daria Dwornik

VFX Supervisor: Szymon Kania

Sound design: Marcin Kasiński MPSE

Line producer: Piotr Bogusz

Production: Open Mind Production

Co-production: Grzegorz Pietraszewski, Bajka Pana Kleksa, Mazowieckie and Warszawski

Film Fund, NEXT FILM, IBRA, Błażej Hermanowicz, JAKE VISION, Platinium

Towers Management, Flame Natalia Siwiec, Hollywood Hair, MSL

Co-financing: Polish Film Institute

Film partners: InPost, Miasto Katowice, LEGO, Motus, Steakownia, Bakalland

Official carrier: LOT Polish Airlines

Charitable partners: Omena Mensah Foundation, Rafał Brzoska Foundation

Social partner: Avalon Foundation

Media patrons: Onet, RMF, TVN, Filmweb, Empik

Distribution: NEXT FILM

“Our Folks. The Beginning” on February 16 will take viewers on a journey to the childhood and youth of Pawlak and Kargul, the heroes of the cult trilogy. This is a completely new story directed by Artur Żmijewski about events unknown to viewers in the lives of two families before fate threw them to the Recovered Territories. The author of the prequel screenplay, similarly to the famous trilogy, is Andrzej Mularczyk. The cast will include, among others: Adam Bobik, Karol Dziuba, Paulina Gałązka, Weronika Humaj, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Katarzyna Krzanowska, Mirosław Baka, Wojtek Malajkat, Anna Dymna, Janusz Chabior and Adam Ferency. Watch the film’s trailer.

Andrzej Mularczyk is not the only name that connects the new film with those from 50 years ago. The second one is Anna Dymna. – It was in ’73. It was my first role after college. I played Ania Pawlaczka. And now suddenly I got an offer to play a small part here. I don’t have time to take on such roles, but then I found out that the script was written by Andrzej Mularczyk and I was very friends with him. And I thought it would be cool. I will play my own great-aunt – said the actress on the set.

Adam Bobik and Karol Dziuba play younger versions of legendary heroes. – We were told in advance by Artur (Żmijewski – director) that we were not copying anything, that it was a separate film. It’s obvious that we refer to the trilogy, but we try not to copy anything. I watched all the parts very often and of course I’m not trying to recreate Kazimierz Pawlak as played by Wacław Kowalski, because it’s simply impossible, but I’m trying to acquire the characteristic features of this character. They are written down in the scenario we are implementing. What I mean is his feistiness, his fierceness, his fight for his own interests. This is what I was looking for in the character created by Wacław Kowalski, because he did it brilliantly and outstandingly, so it would be a pity not to use it – said Adam Bobik.

– For me it was similar – of course I watched old parts to look for inspiration, but not to copy Władysław Hańcza’s role one to one, because, as Adam said, it is impossible. We are different people, different authors – adds Karol Dziuba.

The script of the film “Our Folks. The Beginning was based on the book “Everyone lives as they know how” by Andrzej Mularczyk. He wrote scripts for films that became cult films. The inspiration for the trilogy and its prequel, which will soon be released in cinemas, were real events. The prototype of the character of Kazimierz Pawlak was Andrzej Mularczyk’s uncle.

Cinematographer in the film “Our Folks. The Beginning” is Piotr Śliskowski. Emilia Czartoryska was responsible for the costumes, Pola Guźlińska was responsible for the make-up, and Ryszard Melliwa and Marcin Dyakowski were responsible for the set design. The executive producer of the film is Krzysztof Łojan. Radosław Burdza is responsible for interior decoration. Jarosław Barzan is the film’s editor, Paweł Lucewicz will compose the music. The film’s producers are Tomasz Kubski and Mikołaj Fajks from the CK Dezerterzy studio. The co-producers are TVN Warner Bros. Discovery, NEXT FILM and Sanit Trans. The Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, where most of the photos were taken, is a production partner. NEXT FILM is responsible for distribution.

OUR FOLKS. THE BEGINNING

Genre: comedy, drama

Pawlak and Kargul – the heroes of the cult trilogy “Our Folks”, before reaching the Recovered Territories, were neighbors in a village in what is now Ukraine. And even then it was an explosive neighborhood… “Our Folks. The Beginning” is a colorful story in which minor mischief is intertwined with life’s milestones. Characteristic characters combined with a great story in the background will take the viewer on a sentimental, but also thrilling and humorous journey.

Cast: Adam Bobik (Kazimierz Pawlak), Karol Dziuba (Władysław Kargul), Paulina Gałązka (Nechajka Słobodzian), Weronika Humaj (Mania Ziębicka), Zbigniew Zamachowski (Kacper Pawlak), Katarzyna Krzanowska (Maryjka Pawlak), Mirosław Baka (Ziębicki), Wojtek Malajkat (Priest), Anna Dymna (Pecynicha), Janusz Chabior (Wincenty Kargul), Adam Ferency (Uncle Pecyn), Agnieszka Suchora (Ziębicka)

Director: Artur Żmijewski
Photos: Piotr Śliskowski
Script: Andrzej Mularczyk
Casting director: Piotr Bartuszek
Scenography: Ryszard Melliwa, Marcin Dyakowski
Interior decoration: Radosław Burdzy
Costumes: Emilia Czartoryska
Makeup: Pola Guźlińska
Editing: Jarosław Barzan
Sound: Dariusz Stanek, Przemysław Kamieński
Music: Paweł Lucewicz
Executive producer, production manager: Krzysztof Łojan
Producer: Tomasz Kubski, Mikołaj Fajks
Production: CK Dezerterzy
Co-production: TVN Warner Bros. Discovery, NEXT FILM, Sanit Trans
Partner: Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship
Distribution: NEXT FILM

One family, a thousand scandals! The unique Wolański&Zawada patchwork family returns to cinemas. “Baby boom, or Egg Nogg 5” will hit cinemas on January 26. The continuation of the famous comedy series is packed with all that viewers loved it for: surprising plot twists, fateful misunderstandings and expressive characters. Watch the first trailer.

What can we expect in the fifth part of “Egg Nogg”? Piotruś – together with his wife, mother-in-law and Leopold – moves to a new home: a historic manor house. And Marlenka decides to find a suitable ancestor for her family, one that would fit into the elegant residence… Agnieszka, in turn, pursues a career at the university, but right after defending her PHD, she suddenly discovers that she is pregnant. And when little Kuba is born… problems begin!

Piotruś accompanies his sister during childbirth and begins to dream of a child himself – to Marlenka’s horror. Marcin, a new father, panics and suddenly disappears. In addition, a mysterious pregnant girl appears in Brzózki and she is looking for Zawada…

The original cast is back on the screen and includes: Maciej Zakościelny, Katarzyna Skrzynecka, Aleksandra Hamkało, Nikodem Rozbicki, Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska, Zdzisław Wardejn, Dorota Stalińska, Marian Opania, Małgorzata Rożniatowska, Wiktor Zborowski, Joanna Jarmołowicz, Wojciech Solarz, Mayu Gralińska- Sakai, Krzysztof Szczepaniak.
The director is Anna Wieczur. The producer is Tadeusz Lampka (MTL Maxfilm).

The previous part of the series, “The End of the World, or Egg Nogg 4”, reached over  760,000 admissions in cinemas.

BABY BOOM, OR EGG NOGG 5
Premiere: January 26, 2024

Cast: Katarzyna Skrzynecka (Marlenka), Maciej Zazdrowieny (Piotruś), Nikodem Rozbicki (Marcin), Aleksandra Hamkało (Agnieszka), Dorota Stalińska (Marlenka’s mother), Marian Opania (Leopold Kapusta), Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska (Kasia), Zdzisław Wardejn (Wolański), Małgorzata Rożniatowska (Goździkowa), Wiktor Zborowski (starosta), Joanna Jarmołowicz (police officer), Wojciech Solarz (police officer), Mayu Gralińska-Sakai (Mary), Krzysztof Szczepaniak (Marcel) Katarzyna Wuczko (Kamila), Zuzanna Predygier ( Aneta)
Directed by: Anna Wieczur
Script: Doman Nowakowski, Joanna Jakubowska
Photos: Waldemar Szmidt
Scenography: Joanna Macha
Editing: Marceli Majer GMP
Costumes: Katarzyna Gajewska
Make-up: Sylwia Dynerowicz
Music: Michał Kush
Sound: Miłosz Jaroszek, Teresa Bagińska
Producers: Tadeusz Lampka
Production: MTL Maxfilm
Distribution: Next Film

FILM MADE IN POLAND WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THE ACT ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION, AWARDED BY THE POLISH FILM INSTITUTE FROM THE FUNDS OF THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE.

The digital album is now available on all streaming services in Poland, thanks to the Agora Muzyka label, and worldwide, thanks to Milan Records, the publisher of Hans Zimmer, who composed music, among others for films such as “The Lion King” and “Inception”. “Chłopi” has already gathered over 630,000 in viewers in Polish cinemas.

The soundtrack to “The Peasants”, the Polish candidate for the Oscar in the Best International Film category, is an album by Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski. The production will also compete for an Oscar nomination in the music category – Best Original Score. The album is now available on all streaming services and the first single “Jesień – Tańcuj” recorded with Rebel Babel Film Orchestra has already exceeded 1.4 million views on You Tube.

Listen to the album on streaming:

Following the album’s premiere, another fragment of the soundtrack from the scene of Jagna and Antek’s passionate dance appeared on the artist’s channel:

The digital album consists of 21 compositions by Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski and the Rebel Babel Film Orchestra. The physical version of the album will be released on November 3 and contains 24 songs – 3 more than the streaming version.

The soundtrack is played only on authentic folk instruments. Combined with animated painting constitutes an extremely rich and colorful artistic project. The album featured, among others: Kayah, Kwiat Jabłoni, Ralph Kaminski, Apolonia Nowak, Dagadana, Lor, Laboratorium Pieśni, Sutari, Tęgie Chłopy, Maria Pomianowska, Julia Wieniawa, Bela Komoszyńska, Małgorzata Kożuchowska, T.ETNO, but also Ukrainian artists (Vyrij Choir) and a Belarusian bagpiper Vital Voronau.

Pre-order the CD album:

https://kulturalnysklep.pl/product-pol-100085-Chlopi.html?country=1143020003&utm_source=iai_ads&utm_medium=google_shopping

– The soundtrack to “The Peasants” is a great experience for me. A great adventure created with an extremely talented team of musicians, bands, bands and soloists. I wanted to create a broad compendium of Slavic folk music in reference to the international nature of this production. I wholeheartedly thank DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman for 4 years of the film academy. We invited here many different musicians who have been devoting themselves with great devotion to traditional music for years, and we connected them with both symphony and popular music. The idea of Rebel Babel is to engage local musicians, so during concerts we want to invite more extraordinary bands and regional song and dance groups – says Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski.

A concert tour will be starting soon, during which you will be able to hear music from the film in various compositions and configurations – sometimes in the form of a show with multimedia animated paintings, animations and films showing several years of work on this unique project.

Concerts:
18/11/2023 – Warsaw – Warsaw Philharmonic – Eufonie
13/01/2024 – Wrocław – NFM
23/03/2024 – Poznań – Earth Hall
21/04/2024 – Lublin
22/04/2024 – Łódź
Tickets are on sale at www.adria-art.pl.

Listen to “Jesień – Tańcuj” on all major streaming services:

Watch the music video:

Agora Publishing House has published an exclusive, illustrated edition of the Nobel-winning work by Władysław Stanisław Reymont. Link to purchase:

https://kulturalnysklep.pl/product-pol-100042-Chlopi-Wydanie-kolekcjonerskie.html?query_id=1

Images from the film are available for sale at: https://shop.thepeasantsmovie.com.

The film was made in Poland with financial support under the Act on Financial Support for Audiovisual Production, granted by the Polish Film Institute from the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. The project was co-financed by the Polish National Foundation. The honorary patron of the film was the Minister of Education and Science.

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The PEASANTS

Premiere: October 13
Description: Against the background of the changing seasons and seasonal field work, the fate of the Boryna family and the beautiful, mysterious Jagna unfolds. It is women, especially the tragic figure of Jagna, who will be at the heart of the plot. The unique microworld of a rural community will become an excuse to tell a universal and incredibly current story. A story about tragic love and life in a small community, where rules and brutal rules of the game assign everyone a specific place in the group, and going beyond the narrow limits may result in humiliation and rejection.
The film was based on paintings from the Young Poland period, which perfectly reflect the mood of the novel. Interpretations of works by artists such as Józef Chełmoński, Ferdynand Ruszczyc and Leon Wyczółkowski will appear on the big screen.
Director: DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Screenplay: DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Photos: Radosław Ładczuk, Kamil Polak, Szymon Kuriata
Editing: DK Welchman, Patrycja Piróg, Miki Węcel
Scenography: Elwira Pluta
Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska
Make-up: Waldemar Pokromski
Music: Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski & Rebel Babel Orchestras (Laboratorium Pieśni, Julia Wieniawa, Tęgie Chłopy, Sutari, Szymon Lipiński)
Sound: Michał Jankowski
Cast director: Ewa Brodzka
Animation director: Piotr Dominiak
Special effects: Kamil Polak
VFX Supervisor: Łukasz Mackiewicz
Line producer: Tomasz Wochniak
Producers: Sean Bobbitt, Hugh Welchman
Production: BreakThru Films
Executive Producer: Laurie Ubben, Steve Muench, Sita Saviolo, DK Welchman, Kyle Stroud, Tom Ogden
Co-producers: Ivan Pribićević, Jelena Angelovski, Agnė Adomėnė
Co-production: CANAL+, Digitalkraft, Art Shot, National Center for Culture, Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission SKP Ślusarek Kubiak Pieczyk Sp.
Co-financing: Polish Film Institute, Polish National Foundation, Carte Blanche, Film Center Serbia Lithuanian Film Center
Distribution: Next Film
International sales agent: New Europe Film Sales
Partners: Juice, TELEVISOR Studio, Audiovisual Technology Center, GS Animation,

Cast (role used in the animation): Kamila Urzędowska, Robert Gulaczyk, Mirosław Baka, Sonia Mietielica, Ewa Kasprzyk, Cezary Łukaszewicz, Małgorzata Kożuchowska, Sonia Bohosiewicz, Dorota Stalińska, Andrzej Konopka, Mateusz Rusin, Maciej Musiał, Julia Wieniawa

The shooting of the feature film “Simona Kossak” directed by Adrian Panek has wraped up. Sandra Drzymalska plays Simona Kossak – woman, who comes from a family of famous painters and has become a symbol of the extraordinary relationship between man and nature. Jakub Gierszał plays her long-time partner – Lech Wilczek. The cast also includes Agata Kulesza, Borys Szyc, Olga Bołądź and Marta Stalmierska. The film’s premiere is planned for 2024. See the first photos from the set.

“Simona Kossak” is an inspiring story about independence and determination in finding your own place on Earth. It is a story about the eternal need for closeness and finding one’s flock.

Simona Kossak, daughter of the painter Jerzy Kossak and granddaughter of Wojciech, deprived of the talent that has defined her family for generations, grows up without knowing the warmth of home, as her mother is rather despotic. After graduation she leaves everything – home, tradition, social conventions – and takes up a job as a scientist in Białowieża. It’s then when she starts life on her own terms. She settles in the middle of the forest, in a house without electricity or running water, surrounded by wild nature. There, in a magical wilderness, she meets photographer Lech Wilczek, with whom she shares her passions – love for nature and… the need for freedom. Their extraordinary relationship defies all that’s considered standard. However, Simona’s ideas about the work of a naturalist and the position of a young woman in a world dominated by men are painfully verified. She must defend not only her ideals, but also the world of plants and animals.

– There is something archetypal in a heroine who rebels and runs away from her family, origins, home and goes to the unknown, only to forget who she was or who she was told to be. As a result, she finds her true self. She merges her biography with that of her family, maintaining her independence. She finds herself in what determines her. This is a story about life itself and about love that transcends our personal existence and makes us aware of being a part of something bigger. This film is also a story about the Białowieża Forest itself, its history and the people associated with it – says director and screenwriter Adrian Panek.

The producers of the film “Simona Kossak” are Magdalena Kamińska and Agata Szymańska from the Balapolis studio. Co-producers: Documentary and Feature Film Studio, Masovian Cultural Institute, Krakow Festival Office and Hollman Emea Limited. NEXT FILM is responsible for distribution.

The film is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
The cinema premiere is planned for 2024.

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SIMONA KOSSAK
Cast: Sandra Drzymalska, Jakub Gierszał, Agata Kulesza, Borys Szyc, Olga Bołądź, Dariusz Chojnacki, Marta Stalmierska
Directed by: Adrian Panek
Script: Adrian Panek
Photos: Jakub Stolecki
Editing: Piotr Kmiecik
Scenography: Agata Adamus
Interior decoration: Anna Pabisiak
Costumes: Kalina Lach, Paulina Sieniarska
Make-up: Anna Nobel
Production manager: Julia Jendrysik
Producer: Magdalena Kamińska, Agata Szymańska
Production: Balapolis
Co-production: Documentary and Feature Film Studio, Masovian Cultural Institute, Krakow Festival Office, Hollman Emea Limited
Distribution: NEXT FILM
Co-financing: Polish Film Institute

“The Peasants”, the Polish Oscar candidate directed by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman, is conquering Polish cinemas! The adaptation of Władysław Stanisław Reymont’s Nobel novel, told through a painting animation inspired by the paintings of Young Poland, has already been seen by 141,000 viewers. Thus, this is the best result for a Polish film after its opening weekend at the box office this year.

With the premiere of the film “Chłopi” in cinemas, the pre-sale of the soundtrack by L.U.C. begins. and Rebel Babel Film Orchestra. The album will be available in stores on November 3 via Agora Music. An exclusive vinyl version will be available for collectors. You can order the album before its premiere – link to purchase.

Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski – music producer, vocalist, composer, lyricist and director of music videos and concerts, awarded, among others, Polityka’s Passport, Wrocław Music Award, Ale Sztuka Award, Ślizger, Lower Silesian Diamonds and twice Yach, hailed by journalists as the Artist of the 21st century.

You can already listen to the first single from the album – “Jesień – Tańcuj” online. Within a week of its premiere, the music video had already collected over 600,000 likes. views. This and subsequent tracks will refer, in the spirit of Reymont’s novel, to the four seasons of the year.

Listen to “Jesień – Tańcuj” on all major streaming services:

Watch the music video “Autumn – Dance” on YouTube

Agora Publishing House has published an exclusive, illustrated edition of the Nobel-winning work by Władysław Stanisław Reymont. Link to purchase:
https://kulturalnysklep.pl/product-pol-100042-Chlopi-Wydanie-kolekcjonerskie.html

Distribution in Poland is the first step on the long cinema path of “The Peasants”. International sales agent New Europe Film Sales sold the film to over 50 countries, including: France, Benelux, Germany, South Korea, Scandinavia, Italy and Spain. The film will also have a theatrical release in China, which is rare for films produced outside that country. In North America, South America and Australia the distributor is Sony Pictures Classic, in Great Britain Vertigo Releasing – recognized and important companies in the cinema industry. Negotiations with other Asian countries are being finalized.

The producer started selling images from the film. The first hand-painted frames can be purchased in the online store: https://shop.thepeasantsmovie.com.

The film was made in Poland with financial support under the Act on Financial Support for Audiovisual Production, granted by the Polish Film Institute from the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. The project was co-financed by the Polish National Foundation. The honorary patron of the film was the Minister of Education and Science.

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* * *

THE PEASANTS tells the story of Jagna, a young woman determined  to forge her own path within the confines of a late 19th century Polish village – a hotbed of gossip and on-going feuds, held together, rich and poor, by pride in their land, adherence to colourful traditions and a deep-rooted patriarchy.

When Jagna finds herself caught between the conflicting desires of the village’s richest farmer, his eldest son and other leading men of the community, her resistance puts her on a tragic collision course with the community around her.

Director: DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Screenplay: DK Welchman, Hugh Welchman
Photos: Radosław Ładczuk, Kamil Polak, Szymon Kuriata
Editing: DK Welchman, Patrycja Piróg, Miki Węcel
Scenography: Elwira Pluta
Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska
Make-up: Waldemar Pokromski
Music: Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski & Rebel Babel Orchestras (Laboratorium Pieśni, Julia Wieniawa, Tęgie Chłopy, Sutari, Szymon Lipiński)
Sound: Michał Jankowski
Cast director: Ewa Brodzka
Animation director: Piotr Dominiak
Special effects: Kamil Polak
VFX Supervisor: Łukasz Mackiewicz
Line producer: Tomasz Wochniak
Producers: Sean Bobbitt, Hugh Welchman
Production: BreakThru Films
Executive Producer: Laurie Ubben, Steve Muench, Sita Saviolo, DK Welchman, Kyle Stroud, Tom Ogden
Co-producers: Ivan Pribićević, Jelena Angelovski, Agnė Adomėnė
Co-production: CANAL+, Digitalkraft, Art Shot, National Center for Culture, Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission SKP Ślusarek Kubiak Pieczyk Sp.
Co-financing: Polish Film Institute, Polish National Foundation, Carte Blanche, Film Center Serbia Lithuanian Film Center
Distribution: Next Film
International sales agent: New Europe Film Sales
Partners: Juice, TELEVISOR Studio, Audiovisual Technology Center, GS Animation,

Cast (role used in the animation): Kamila Urzędowska, Robert Gulaczyk, Mirosław Baka, Sonia Mietielica, Ewa Kasprzyk, Cezary Łukaszewicz, Małgorzata Kożuchowska, Sonia Bohosiewicz, Dorota Stalińska, Andrzej Konopka, Mateusz Rusin, Maciej Musiał, Julia Wieniawa

It’s time for the new adventures of Waldi the Mighty and his friends! The shooting for “Too Old for Fairy Tales 2”, a film directed by Kristoffer Rus, has just ended. It is a riveting, humorous tale for the whole family – a tale about unlocking the power of friendship, overcoming difficulties and facing the truth. Returning cast includes Maciej Karaś, Amelia Fijałkowska, Patryk Siemek, Karolina Gruszka and Dorota Kolak. The cast from the first film will be joined by Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski and Grzegorz Małecki, among others. The film will hit the screens in 2024. Today, we are showing you the first photos.

Your favourite gamer trio is back! This time, Waldek, Staszek and Delfina will spend an adventure-packed summer in the Tatra Mountains. During the trip, Waldek accidentally finds out that his father – the man he has heard so much about from his mum, the person who abandoned his family a long time ago – lives nearby. The boy is determined to find him and ask him about the reasons for his decision. Together with Staszek, under the cover of night, they set out on their mission. The hazards of the mountain trail, however, are nothing compared to what Delfina will have to do. The creative teenager has to hide the truth about the boys’ disappearance from her aunt, the mother of Waldek and… her new partner. How will this secret mission affect the lives of all the characters?  Will Waldek find an answer to the questions that haunt him and understand the actions of his father?

– After the screenings of “Too Old for Fairy Tales”, the audience would ask us: but what about Waldek’s father? Today, many young people grow up without a second parent. In the first part, we focused on issues connected with the risk of the mother’s disappearance, now we focus on problems related to the absent father. The way I see it, this is not just a film for children but also for the whole family. Personally, I could use more films I can watch with my entire family, I am looking for wise, moving films with some laughs in the mix. That is what life is like, full of tough choices, particularly when you are growing up. Still, you have to know how to laugh more… even if you’re laughing through tears – says the director of the film, Kristoffer Rus.

“Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” is a sequel to the 2022 film, which was the most popular Polish family film in the 21st century. The returning cast includes Maciej Karaś, Amelia Fijałkowska, Patryk Siemek, Karolina Gruszka and Dorota Kolak. They will be joined by Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski and Grzegorz Małecki, among others.

– “Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” is certainly a much bigger production than the first part, particularly due to the shooting locations in the Tatra Mountains in Poland, which were often remote and hard to access. It will have a bigger scale and be more adventurous, but – just like the first film – it will also pack plenty of strong emotion and deliver an important message – says the film producer, Mikołaj Pokromski.

The film was shot in Warsaw and Zakopane, including locations such as the Jan Kasprowicz Museum in Harenda and on Kasprowy Wierch.

“Too Old for Fairy Tales 2” has been produced by Pokromski Studio. The film will be distributed by NEXT FILM. It will hit the screens in 2024.

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TOO OLD FOR FAIRY TALES 2

Premiere: 2024

Cast: Maciej Karaś, Amelia Fijałkowska, Patryk Siemek, Karolina Gruszka, Dorota Kolak, Paweł Domagała, Michał Żurawski, Grzegorz Małecki

Director: Kristoffer Rus

Screenplay: Agnieszka Dąbrowska

Cinematography: Jakub Stolecki

Set design: Aleksandra Kierzkowska

Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska

Make-up: Waldemar Pokromski, Marta Szczerkowska

Sound: Grzegorz Kucharski

Editing: Marcin Komar Konarzewski

Music: Karim Martusewicz

Producer: Mikołaj Pokromski

Production: Pokromski Studio

Distribution: Next Film

Co-financing: Polish Film Institutenex

The shooting for “Wróbel” (Sparrow), a film with Jacek Borusiński in the lead role, has just finished in an area near Warsaw. The remaining cast includes Julia Chętnicka, Krzysztof Stroiński, Piotr Rogucki, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff and Maria Maj. “Wróbel” is a bitter-sweet, funny and unpretentious story about learning to accept changes. The screenwriter and director is Tomasz Gąssowski. The film will hit the screens in 2024. We present you with the first stills.

Remek Wróbel is a mailman and an enthusiastic member of an amateur football team. He’s pushing on forty, living the life of a bachelor. He’s passionately studying the encyclopaedia, training his extraordinary memory. He has only one friend, Pedro, an enterprising character engaged in a shady business. There is no one else in his life. And that’s the way he likes it. One day, everything changes – his neat, tidy life is turned upside down by the appearance of Grandpa, whom he hadn’t met before, and his new chatty neighbour, Marzenka. Remek will have to learn how to make lemonade when life gives you lemons.

The creator of the film, director and screenwriter, Tomasz Gąssowski, is a long-time associate of Andrzej Jakimowski and composer of music for his award-winning films. He won the MocArt RMF Classic for the best film music in 2013 for the music for “Imagine”. He has directed a short entitled “Play-off”, which won many awards, e.g., at the Warsaw Film Festival, Polish Film Festival “Prowincjonalia”, Lubusz Film Summer and the “Transatlantyk” International Film and Music Festival. In their verdicts, the jury often recognised Gąssowski’s ability “to tell straightforward stories about important matters”.

His new original film, “Wróbel” (Sparrow), which, just like “Play-off”, stars Jacek Borusiński in the lead role, will depict a world built using the same tools. Subtle acting, unimposing music and a camera trained on documentary incidents will certainly have a great impact on the artistic merit of this intimate film. And so will the filmmakers involved.

Jacek Borusiński is the co-founder of Grupa Mumio – a team active on the Polish theatre scene for almost 30 years. Their shows have become legendary among enthusiasts of subtle, abstract humour. However, Borusiński is more than just a comedy actor. In 2017, for his part in “Play-off”, he won the Jan Machulski Award in the best actor category. In “Wróbel”, he will be joined by Julia Chętnicka (which was exhilarating in “Queen”, starring alongside Andrzej Seweryn), Krzysztof Stroiński, Piotr Rogucki, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Maria Maj and Agnieszka Matysiak. There will also be some interesting episodic roles – the supporting actors include, among others, Iwo Zaniewski, Stefan Szczepłek, Wojciech Fiedorczuk, Krzysztof Herdzin, Radek Majewski.

The operator in the film is Wojciech Staroń, a long-time associate of Krzysztof Krauze and Joanna Kos-Krauze. He shot films such as “Papusza” (with Krzysztof Ptak), “Saviour Square” or “Birds Are Singing in Kigali”. He also directed his unique, original documentary: “Brothers”. For his work in Poland and abroad, he received many awards, including the Silver Bear at the festival in Berlin in 2011.

The film is produced by Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM). It will be distributed by NEXT FILM.

WRÓBEL (SOARROW)

Genre: drama, comedy

Cast: Jacek Borusiński, Julia Chętnicka, Krzysztof Stroiński, Piotr Rogucki, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Maria Maj, Agnieszka Matysiak, Iwo Zaniewski, Stefan Szczepłek, Wojciech Fiedorczuk, Krzysztof Herdzin, Radek Majewski

Director: Tomasz Gąssowski
Cinematography: Wojciech Staroń
Screenplay: Tomasz Gąssowski
Set design: Anna Pabisiak
Costumes: Sandra Kowalska
Make up: Anna Gorońska, Przemysław Smoliński
Music: Tomasz Gąssowski
Sound: Radosław Ochnio
Production manager: Anna Palka
Line producer: Anna Orska-Olszewska
Producer: Robert Kijak
Production: NEXT FILM
Distribution: NEXT FILM

Adam Bobik and Karol Dziuba will star as Kazimierz Pawlak and Władysław Kargul in the comedy “Our Folks: The Beginning” („Sami swoi. Początek”). The prequel to the cult-favourite trilogy, exploring the origins of the dispute between the legendary characters, is directed by Artur Żmijewski. We present you with the first photos.

The remaining cast includes Paulina Gałązka, Weronika Humaj, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Katarzyna Krzanowska, Mirosław Baka, Wojtek Malajkat, Anna Dymna, Janusz Chabior and Adam Ferency.

Pawlak and Kargul – the protagonists of the cult-favourite trilogy “Our Folks” („Sami swoi”) – had been neighbours in a village in Podolia before they ended up in the Recovered Territories. Even then, it was one explosive neighbourhood… “Our Folks: The Beginning” („Sami swoi. Początek”) is a colourful story of small spites and major milestones in life. The unique characters are shown against the backdrop of big historical events, taking the audience on a riveting, sentimental and humorous journey.

The history of the Pawlak and Kargul families is inspired by true events. The persons who had to abandon their homes in Kresy, which is now located within the Ukrainian borders, included Jan Mularczyk, the uncle of the excellent writer and screenwriter, Andrzej Mularczyk, the author of the screenplay for the cult trilogy as well as the prequel. Many years later, he became the model for Kazimierz Pawlak, a person well-known from the “Our Folks” („Sami swoi”), “Take It Easy” („Nie ma mocnych”) and “Big Deal” („Kochaj albo rzuć”) trilogy. Jan Mularczyk settled in Tymowa, near Lubin, in Lower Silesia. – He had a very interesting past, and he was a great storyteller. I listened to the stories of his life for several weeks and wrote them down in notebooks that I have kept to date. His stories were dramatic, melancholic and humorous – says Andrzej Mularczyk.

The film is directed by Artur Żmijewski. – I want to make a film that will be understood by the contemporary audience, explaining the origins of the dispute between the Pawlak and Kargul families and describing the world they lived in before coming to the Recovered Territories. I want this to be a brand new, universal story about all of us – how we behave in real life, with all our flaws and virtues. Regardless of the place we live in – he says. – In one interview, Andrzej Mularczyk said: “True comedy has to move and entertain”. That is precisely the kind of comedy I want to write! – he adds.

The film producer, Tomasz Kubski, had the following to say about the production: – Everyone keeps asking us two questions: “Why?”, “What for?”.  The answer is very simple: it is the beginning of the whole story, and it was supposed to be the first part of the cult series, but towards the end of the 1960s political reasons prevented the production of a film that would show the Soviet nation in a negative, slightly satirical way. The trilogy without the part we are producing was essentially incomplete, lacking a world where Pawlak fell in love for the first time, had his heart broken for the first time and stood up for himself for the first time.

The operator in “Our Folks: The Beginning” („Sami swoi. Początek”) is Piotr Śliskowski. The costumes are prepared by Emilia Czartoryska, the make-up artist was Pola Guźlińska, and the sets were built by Ryszard Melliwa and Marcin Dyakowski. The executive producer of the film is Krzysztof Łojan. Radosława Burdzy is responsible for interior design. Jarosław Barzan is the editor, and Paweł Lucewicz will compose the music. The film is produced by Tomasz Kubski and Mikołaj Fajks of the CK Dezerterzy studio. The co-producers are TVN Warner Bros Discovery and NEXT FILM. Świętokrzyskie Province is a partner of the production. The film will be distributed by NEXT FILM.

OUR FOLKS: THE BEGINNING (SAMI SWOI: POCZĄTEK)

Genre: comedy, drama

Cast: Adam Bobik (Kazimierz Pawlak), Karol Dziuba (Władysław Kargul), Paulina Gałązka (Nechajka Słobodzian), Weronika Humaj (Mania Ziębicka), Zbigniew Zamachowski (Kacper Pawlak), Katarzyna Krzanowska (Maryjka Pawlak), Mirosław Baka (Ziębicki), Wojtek Malajkat (Priest), Anna Dymna (Pecynicha), Janusz Chabior (Wincenty Kargul), Adam Ferency (Wujko Pecyn), Agnieszka Suchora (Ziębicka)

Director: Artur Żmijewski
Cinematography: Piotr Śliskowski
Screenplay: Andrzej Mularczyk
Casting director: Piotr Bartuszek
Set design: Ryszard Melliwa, Marcin Dyakowski
Interior design: Radosława Burdzy
Costumes: Emilia Czartoryska
Make up: Pola Guźlińska
Editing: Jarosław Barzan
Sound: Dariusz Stanek, Przemysław Kamieński
Music: Paweł Lucewicz
Executive producer, production manager: Krzysztof Łojan
Producer: Tomasz Kubski, Mikołaj Fajks
Production: CK Dezerterzy
Co-production: TVN Warner Bros Discovery, NEXT FILM
Partner: Świętokrzyskie Province
Distribution: NEXT FILM

“Johnny”, directed by Daniel Jaroszek, produced and distributed by NEXT FILM, was a huge success not only in cinemas (almost a million tickets sold), but also at the Eagles – Polish Film Awards gala. The film won in 4 categories.

Dawid Ogrodnik for the role of priest Jan Kaczkowski won Best Actor. Maria Pakulnis was awarded Best Supporting Actress. Liliana Gałązka was the winner in Best Makeup category. Daniel Jaroszek, the director of the film, collected the Audience Award – in this category, was decided by viewers casting their votes.

“Johnny” was the second highest-grossing Polish film in 2022 and has so far attracted 988,757 viewers to cinemas. The producer is Robert Kijak. Maciej Kraszewski is responsible for the screenplay (he was also among the nominees for the Eagles).

3 January 2023 will mark the 30th anniversary of the first Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. “Phenomenon” will hit the screens on 20 January to celebrate this occasion – it will be the first cinematic documentary about Jurek Owsiak and the history of the Orchestra. The film was produced by Dominika Kulczyk and her associated company, dFlights.

It is the first film where Jurek Owsiak – the founder of the Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity – earnestly describes the idea behind the creation of the Orchestra and its difficult beginnings. He recalls the whole 30 years of the history of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, not avoiding such difficult issues as the brutal critique he had to face, or the death of the mayor of Gdańsk, Paweł Adamowicz, after which Jurek resigned from his post.

The documentary about the creator of the Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity shows his transformation from a carefree hippie into the leader of an enormous civic movement and one of the most important symbols of free Poland. He also tells the story of how the Woodstock Festival was brought into Poland, becoming one of the largest music festivals in Europe.

– I decided to produce this film because, in my opinion, there are still not enough documentaries in Poland to show important figures whose life and attitude have had a significant impact on our reality. Jurek Owsiak is precisely such a figure. His energy has transformed Polish hospitals, saving tens of thousands of human lives. I believe it will be the highlight to celebrate the last 30 years – says Dominika Kulczyk, the main producer of the film.

“Phenomenon”, however, is more than just the story of the most well-known public initiative in Poland. The filmmakers used the 30-year history of WOŚP to show the great transformations occurring in society in that period. The responses to the actions of Jurek Owsiak – from the unprecedented enthusiasm to the undermining of his work – reflect our own attitudes and the great divide that has appeared between us in recent years.

“Phenomenon” will hit the screens in Poland on 20 January 2023. Its premiere will coincide with the anniversary of the first Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity and the approaching edition of the event. “Phenomenon” was directed by Małgorzata Kowalczyk. The film was produced by Dominika Kulczyk and her associated company, dFlights.

It was made with the financial support awarded by the Polish Film Institute using the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the act on financial support for audio-visual productions.

“The Ikea Generation”, directed by Dawid Gral, is an adaptation of the eponymous best-seller. For the main character, random sex, erotic fantasies and quick romances are just a starting point to tell a story about the lives of the contemporary generation. The leading actors are Bartosz Gelner and Michalina Olszańska. The film will hit the screens on 10 March 2023.

Piotr Czarny is a charming lawyer of thirty-something. He is constantly in pursuit of adrenaline, women and parties. His goal is to fill the list of lovers with names starting with each letter of the alphabet. His plan is put to the test, when his colleague from work, Olga – the only person he is completely honest with and does not sleep with – gives him an ultimatum.

Following the cynical and hedonistic protagonist, we enter the world of random sex, quick dates and one-night stands offered to us by web applications. The film is an uninhibited depiction of people who have been taught by the easy availability of all commodities that everything can be replaced cheaply and without thought – whether it’s a computer, furniture, an apartment or even a relationship.

– The most important part of this story for me was the ability to freely talk about sex, about why so many people use dating apps. I do not think there is anything taboo about it – in the 21st century, saying that you enjoy sex is nothing bad – says Bartosz Gelner.

– The book is first and foremost a satire of our generation. This is the most important part for me, and that is how I try to play my character – adds Michalina Olszańska.

The parts of Piotr and Olga will be played by Bartosz Gelner and Michalina Olszańska. The remaining cast will include (among others): Majka Jeżowska, Paweł Małaszyński, Jan Aleksandrowicz-Kraśko, Sławomir Mandes, Dagmara Bryzek, Adrianna Izydorczyk, Zuzanna Galewicz, Mateusz Dymidziuk and – debuting on the big screen – Adi Nowak.

“The Ikea Generation” is a screen adaptation of a best-selling book by Piotr C. This is a pen name for the author of 6 best-selling novels, including the most controversial one, published in episodes in the Angora magazine, titled: “The Ikea Generation”. The author has never revealed his identity. “The Ikea Generation” sold more than 150 thousand copies, and it has been listed 32nd in the ranking of the “Top 100 books to read” according to Polish Internet users. The books of Piotr C. have been nominated twice for Empik best-sellers – “Dirt” was nominated in 2016 and “Celebrity” in 2020. September 2022 saw the publication of the latest novel by Piotr C., “Roman(ce)”.

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THE IKEA GENERATION

Premiering on: 10/3/2023

genre: romance

Cast: Bartosz Gelner, Michalina Olszańska, Majka Jeżowska, Paweł Małaszyński, Jan Aleksandrowicz-Kraśko, Sławomir Mandes, Mateusz Dymidziuk, Dagmara Bryzek, Adrianna Izydorczyk, Zuzanna Galewicz

Director: Dawid Gral

Screenplay: Dawid Gral

Cinematography: Małgorzata Prońko

Music: Tymoteusz Karaś Tęcza

Set design: Katarzyna Tomczyk

Costumes: Magdalena Sekrecka
Make up: Aleksandra Kułak, Filip Zagórski

Sound: Przemysław Dzięgiel

Editing: Tomasz Kolak
Casting director: Katarzyna Gryciuk-Krzywda

Production manager: Edyta Bełza
Producer: Monika Raj

Production: Film PI

Distribution in Poland: Next Film

“Na twoim miejscu” – a comedy about a married couple who wanted to change their life but not THEIR BODIES will hit the cinemas on 6 January 2023.

Everybody has probably wished at least once in their life to trade bodies with the other sex… The characters of “If I Were You” have been given this opportunity. The film directed by Antonio Galdámez is a comedy that humorously tackles important issues while also showing universal truths about human relationships. The leading actors will be Paulina Gałązka and Miron Jagniewski. They will be joined on the set by, among others: Maria Pakulnis, Magdalena Lamparska, Jan Frycz, Michał Czernecki and Delfina Wilkońska. Today, we are showing you the teaser, and “If I Were You” will debut in the cinemas on 6 January 2023.

The plot of “Na twoim miejscu”

Kaśka and Krzysiek – a young, attractive married couple with a lovely little boy and an apartment in a beautiful area. It seems they should be happy, and yet… they are on the brink of divorce. They spend all their days the same way – constantly bickering. Until the morning when they have to work together like never before because… they swap their bodies. From now on, Krzysiek becomes Kaśka, and Kaśka becomes Krzysiek. Each of them will have to take over the duties of the other and face problems they have not even imagined before… Will this cause them to look at each other in a different way and learn some empathy? Body swapping is just a trick used by the filmmakers to provide some original thoughts on modern life.

Filmmakers

– “Na twoim miejscu” is a fantasy about swapping bodies with another person. About the ability to look upon yourself and your own life from the outside. It is a film full of empathy. We wanted the story of the characters to be humorous and cheerful, but I also had to include some painful elements, things that are difficult to process and give some food for thought. It was very interesting and inspiring to work on these different tones, to constantly try to find the right balance between laughter and tears – says the director, Antonio Galdámez, for whom this was the first full-length feature.

Kaśka and Krzysiek will be played by Paulina Gałązka and Miron Jagniewski. They will be joined on the set by, among others: Maria Pakulnis, Magdalena Lamparska, Jan Frycz, Michał Czernecki and Delfina Wilkońska. The screenplay was written by Łukasz Światowiec and Anna Bielak.

The producer of the film is TVN Warner Bros. Discovery. The film will be distributed by NEXT FILM.

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NA TWOIM MIEJSCU

Premiering on: 6/1/2023

Genre: comedy

Cast: Paulina Gałązka, Miron Jagniewski, Maria Pakulnis, Magdalena Lamparska, Jan Frycz, Michał Czernecki, Delfina Wilkońska, Janusz Chabior, Oliwier Grzegorzewski, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Piotr Pacek, Maciej Miszczak, Gen Seto

 Director: Antonio Galdámez

Cinematography: Tomasz Madejski

Screenplay: Łukasz Światowiec, Anna Bielak

Casting director: Piotr Bartuszek

Set design: Aleksandra Kierzkowska

Costumes: Anna Męczyńska

Make up: Sylwia Grabarczyk

Editing: Bartosz Karczyński

Sound: Krzysztof Owczarek, Łukasz Świerzawski, Przemysław Kamieński

Production manager: Krzysztof Łojan

Executive producer: Karolina Lachowska

Producer: Anna Waśniewska

Production: TVN Warner Bros. Discovery

Distribution: NEXT FILM

The shooting of “In-laws 2”, a film directed by Kalina Alabrudzińska, has just ended. It is a funny and ironic story about a couple who has been married for 30 years, about the generation gaps in relationships, which still seem to be a taboo topic, and about whether it is a good idea to marry at all. Maja Ostaszewska, Izabela Kuna and Adam Woronowicz will meet on the set once again. The cast was joined by Eryk Kulm Jr.

Will the couple get married this time? Weronika and Łukasz – a would-be bride and groom from the first film – decide to give themselves a second chance and invite their family to the wedding and the reception, which will take place in a seaside town. Among the invited guests, the viewers will recognise well-known characters, including: Wanda (Izabela Kuna) and Tadeusz (Adam Woronowicz) with their dog, Mirelka, and also a divorcee, Małgorzata (Maja Ostaszewska), accompanied by… her much younger partner, Jan (Eryk Kulm Jr), and her mother (Ewa Dałkowska). The sea, drinks and nude sunbathers make the family members of the bride and groom more open and ready to shed their masks.

“In-laws 2” is a continuation of “In-laws” – a critically acclaimed comedy hit appreciated also by the viewers. The screenplay of the film was written by Marek Modzelewski, who was also the screenwriter for the first part of the series. This part, however, was directed by Kalina Alabrudzińska, who comments on her participation in the project as follows:

– I was laughing so much while reading the screenplay. I really liked the direction in which the entire story was heading. I also really enjoyed the thought of working once again with Iza Kuna, Maja Ostaszewska and Adam Woronowicz. I felt that directing “In-laws 2” would give me an opportunity to create a really funny comedy that, at the same time, could be very moving.

The producer of the film is AKSON STUDIO. The co-producers are TVN Warner Bros, Discovery and NEXT FILM. The film will be distributed in Poland by NEXT FILM.

The film was shot in Poland with the financial support granted under the act on the financial supporting of audiovisual productions by the Polish Film Institute using the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

The cinema premiere of “In-laws 2” is scheduled for 2023.

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IN-LAWS 2

Premiering in: 2023

Cast: Maja Ostaszewska, Izabela Kuna, Ewa Dałkowska, Adam Woronowicz, Eryk Kulm Jr

Director: Kalina Alabrudzińska

Screenplay: Marek Modzelewski

Cinematography: Nils Croné

Editing: Tymoteusz Wiskirski

Set design and interior design: Arkadiusz Kośmider

Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska

Make up: Daria Siejak

Production manager: Paweł Gabryś

Executive producer: Małgorzata Fogel-Gabryś

Producer: Michał Kwieciński

Production: Akson Studio

Co-production: TVN Warner Bros. Discovery, Next Film

Distribution: Next Film

Co-financing: The Polish Film Institute

The cookbook by Patryk Galewski (played by Piotr Trojan in the film), which was written after the end of the shooting for “Johnny”, has just hit the bookstores. It is more than just a collection of great recipes – it is also a tale about the complicated fate of a boy who has suffered a lot to win his life in the end.

Patryk Galewski is now a fantastic cook, a chef at the Kutter restaurant, a happy husband and a father of three. Things were not always this easy, though, and the road that led him to this place was bumpy, indeed. “Meeting him was part of my punishment” – says Patryk Galewski, the protagonist of the book and the film “Johnny”. They met at the Hospice in Puck founded by Fr. Jan, where Patryk was sent to do community service after spending time in prison. “It was Johnny who realised I liked to cook and encouraged me to become a chef. He gave me a second chance – without him, I would never have made it” – says Patryk.

“Firework kitchen” is a fantastic story told through aromas and flavours. The readers will find out what dishes Patryk dreamed of in prison, what he cooked for the residents of father Jan’s hospice, what dishes he prepares for the guests who come to his restaurant and what he cooks at home, for his wife and kids. The book is available, in particular, at Kulturalny Sklep. The e-book can be found, for instance, in Publio.

JOHNNY. THE STORY OF FATHER JAN KACZKOWSKI

MACIEJ KRASZEWSKI

AGORA PUBLISHING HOUSE

AVAILABLE FROM 7 SEPTEMBER 2022

A riveting and moving tale of the meeting of two guys from completely different worlds that saves the life of one of them. The true story of the friendship of father Jan Kaczkowski, an unconventional, charismatic priest, and Patryk Galewski, a repeat offender – now a chef – is heart-warming and inspiring.

Patryk did not have an easy start in life. He became a criminal when he was twelve. It seemed that his life would always be a suspended sentence, interspersed with successive stints in jail. However, when the court order sends him to work at the Puck hospice, he meets Jan Kaczkowski, who will change his life forever.

If someone asked me about the symbol of my life choices, I would have to say: a firework. That is because my criminal career began with breaking into a store with firecrackers and fireworks. It was because of the fireworks that I became a criminal until, one day, I met a crippled priest, almost blind, whose most famous life quote was the one about living life like a firework. That’s something, right?

Fr. Kaczkowski, who was somewhat of a character and was regarded with a certain disdain by the church authorities, had the ability to win the hearts of angry young men. He engaged boys from vocational school, seemingly hardened rebels, to help the sick. He often acted unconventionally, doing things no one would ever expect of a priest, winning hearts and popularity in the process. The novel by Maciej Kraszewski is a story of an explosive friendship that was impossible but actually happened. It is a genuinely moving story about really tough times, faith that works wonders and a friendship that can change a life. The story of Patryk and Fr. Jan was used in the eponymous film with Dawid Ogrodnik and Piotr Trojan starring as the leads, which will hit the screens in Autumn this year.

I want to tell the truth. My story. Today, I am a man. I am the same person, but I am not the same. You will probably be surprised that my tale is told in such a light and humorous way. Finally, there is someone who heard this unlikely story and decided to tell it. – Patryk Galewski

Patryk told me about his life. I had lots of discussions with the parents, siblings and people who knew Jan Kaczkowski well. I knew him myself, we talked for long hours on many occasions. I have probably watched all the materials there are on YouTube. How to tell this story? Jan would want a lot of humour, distance and sarcasm. He would want to include all his most important quotes – all the things he spoke on TV and wrote in his books. His message, his mission continues in this book. – Maciej Kraszewski

The shooting for “Skołowani” has started – the film will be a Polish version of the tale that first won the hearts of audiences in France and then in other countries all over the world. It is a charming, romantic tale about the encounter of Maks, who’d prefer to remain forever young, with the feisty Julia. The main roles will be played by Agnieszka Grochowska and Michał Czernecki. “Skołowani” is the directorial debut of Jan Macierewicz. The film is scheduled to hit the screens in 2023.

What is the film about? Maks is a die-hard womaniser and a notorious liar. When Anna, an attractive young woman, mistakes him for a handicapped person, Maks does not correct her mistake, hoping she’ll be another easy catch. However, Anna has something else in mind – she introduces him to her older sister, Julia, who is confined to a wheelchair herself. Surprisingly, a genuine bond starts to form between the cynical Maks and the lively Julia, but can a lie create solid grounds for a good relationship? Can this love survive?

Maks and Julia will be played by Michał Czernecki and Agnieszka Grochowska. The cast also includes, among others: Marianna Zydek, Marcin Perchuć, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Gabriela Muskała, Jerzy Bończak, Maria Pakulnis and Mikołaj Grabowski.

– The first thing you have to ask is: if “Tout le monde debout” [title of the original] has already been made and has been such a success, does it even need a remake? – says the director of the film, Jan Macierewicz. – Definitely! This film is more than just a romantic comedy. Apart from intelligent humour, it also has a deeper, social and educational layer. Together with the cameraman, Michał Pukowiec, we want to create an engrossing tale about human relationships, love and choices that can be difficult at times.

The public sponsor of the film is the Avalon Foundation, which works for the benefit of people who are handicapped or sick, as a non-government non-profit organisation with the status of a Public Benefit Organisation.

– The Avalon Foundation has been helping people with disabilities and chronic illnesses to be active in all areas of life for 15 years – we provide daily funding and rehabilitation and run a range of social and educational programmes. We also make active efforts to change the perception of disabled people in Polish society by, for instance, promoting sports in an extreme form or combating the taboo pertaining to sexuality and parenthood. That is why we are happy that the producers of the film contacted us with a request to be the public sponsor. Disability is burdened with many stereotypes that usually result from gaps in knowledge or lack of contact. We believe that “Skołowani” will use laughs and intelligent humour to make another step towards a more normal perception of disability in Poland. We are keenly awaiting the premiere! – Helena Szczuka – manager of the Communication and Promotion Department of the Avalon Foundation.

The producer of the film is ATM Grupa. The film will be distributed by NEXT FILM.

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SKOŁOWANI

Genre: romantic comedy

Director: Jan Macierewicz

Cinematography: Michał Pukowiec

Cast: Agnieszka Grochowska, Michał Czernecki, Marianna Zydek, Marcin Perchuć, Bartłomiej Kotschedoff, Gabriela Muskała, Jerzy Bończak, Maria Pakulnis, Mikołaj Grabowski, Krzysztof Materna

Screenplay: Agata K. Koschmieder

Set design: Magda Marszałek

Costumes: Kalina Lach, Anna Kozłowska

Make-up: Magdalena Kakietek

Editing: Adam Kwiatek

Production manager: Jadwiga Dziuma

ATM producer: Renata Męcina

Producer: ATM Grupa, co-financing: POLSKI INSTYTUT SZTUKI FILMOWEJ

Distribution: NEXT FILM

Partners: Opera Wrocławska, Fundacja Avalon, Sunrise Medical

BreakThru Films, producers of the Oscar Nominated “Loving Vincent”, are supporting Ukrainian refugees by auctioning selected original oil paintings from the 2017 movie, which brought the paintings of Vincent van Gogh to animated life. Fans of “Loving Vincent” will have a chance to buy portraits of Douglas Booth and Eleanor Tomlinson. The auction will open on the 24th of August on one.bid platform and will last for one month, closing on September 24th. All income will be donated to Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci, a Polish NGO opening 100 childcare centers for Ukrainian families in Poland.

24 August 2022, Wrocław/Warsaw, Poland

Just after the war started, I went to the border to pick up our Ukrainian producer Olga and her family, and they stayed with me for a bit while they were figuring out what to do next. Most of the people that crossed into Poland are eager to find or continue work, but that’s practically impossible if you have small children. We were fortunate enough to find a place in the Polish school system for Olga’s girls, but others have not been as lucky. That’s why we decided to use the proceeds from the Auction to support Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci’s program to open full day nurseries and preschools all across Poland so that Ukrainian children can continue their education and the mothers can find employment to support their families.-  says Sean Bobbitt, Loving Vincent producer.

BreakThru Films studio is currently producing another movie, “The Peasants”, which just like “Loving Vincent”, is a painting animation. One of the studios was established in Kyiv, but due to the war in Ukraine it was closed for 6 months. The producers have recently decided to re-open their Kyiv studio. Hugh Welchman, Breakthru founder and co-writer and director of Loving Vincent, explains the details of this decision:

In “Loving Vincent” Ukrainian painters were such a significant part of our international team of painters that it was our intention with our next film, “The Peasants”, to establish a studio in Kyiv. We had just got the studio up and running when war started. We were forced to close the studio and worked to get all of our artists and colleagues who wanted to and who could get out to come and live and work with us in Poland. Unfortunately, not all of our artists could leave, and they were unable to find any alternative work in the chaos of the war. So, it was always our ambition to re-open our studio as soon as it was safe to do so and support our painters in Ukraine to at least get back to partial normalcy and have a workplace for our displaced Ukrainian painters to go back to when the conditions are right for them to go home.

The Ukrainian painters from BreakThru Films are among the 3.5 million Ukrainian refugees that fled to Poland after the war started. Virtually all of the refugees entering Poland are women and children. As a response Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci (FRD) is partnering with International and Polish relief organizations, religious organizations, and municipalities to open 100 full-day nurseries and preschools for Ukrainian children in Poland. Developed by FRD, the childcare model addresses the special emotional needs of refugee families. FRD hires and trains Ukrainian women in Poland to be teachers and work with children and mothers suffering from emotional trauma or PTSD. Thanks to funding from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), FRD has opened 35 programs to date.

Even before the war began, there was a significant shortage of public childcare for children 0 to 6 years old in Poland. It is extremely important to create safe environments for every child. The childcare centers that FRD is opening allows Ukrainian mothers to take back some control in their lives, and they can do so knowing that their children are being well taken care of. Our plan is to open 100 programs in 100 days, but if the war doesn’t end and we need to open 300 centers then we will prepare to do that. – Monika Rościszewska Woźniak, President of FRD, emphasized.

Auction takes place here: https://frd.onebid.pl/pl/auction/-/3923

More information:

Aneta Jabłońska

Communication Specialist

Phone .: + 49 177 75 80 548

Email: aneta@breakthrufilms.pl

Julia Trzcińska

PR & Communication Director

Phone: +48 604 884 728

Email: jtrzcinska@frd.org.pl

BreakThru Films Studio

Founded by Hugh Welchman, BreakThru Films is an award-winning film and animation production company, based in Sopot, Poland. BreakThru first established its reputation with its slate of award-winning shorts which have collected over twenty international awards & nominations, including two BAFTA nominations, an official selection at Cannes, the Annecy Cristal and Annecy Audience awards, Canal+ Prize, TCM prize, the Rose D’ Or as well as an Oscar® for Best Short Animation Film for ‘Peter & The Wolf’.

The latest production of the studio – ‘Loving Vincent’ was a worldwide success and picked up 24 Audience Awards at film festivals, including the coveted Annecy Cristal at the world’s biggest animation festival, and was nominated as best feature animation in the world’s most prestigious award events including The Oscars and the Golden Globes.

Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci

Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci (FRD) is a non-governmental organization established to inspire adults to create environments in which all young children can develop, explore and use their potential. The organization activities span over 340 municipalities and more than 2,500 locations across Poland. To date, FRD has trained more than 14,000 Polish and Ukrainian teachers, educators, and parents to work with children. Through over 20 years FRD has opened 500 facilitated Playgroups for children under 3 years old and their parents, 350 Preschools and 30 childcare centers for Ukrainian refugee children. So far, FRD has provided support to more than 100,000 children aged 6 months to 10 years living in villages, towns and cities.

A horde of zombies on a Polish beach? There has never been such an epidemic in Poland before. It will be faced by the heroes of Apokawixa, directed by Xawery Żuławski. And the saying “party like there’s no tomorrow” will take on a new meaning during the film event… The film, produced by TVN Warner Bros. Discovery, will be released on October 6. Before that, it will compete in the Main Competition of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. Today we present a teaser.

– This is the first Polish zombie film. It is an entertaining, psychedelic and adventure film about the young, but not just for the young. I hope the audience will enjoy the screening of Apokawixa – says director and co-author of the screenplay, Xawery Żuławski. He is known for such titles as Mowa ptaków, Wojna polsko-ruska, Chaos, Odwilż (HBO), Diagnoza (TVN) or Krew z krwi (TVN).

Here it comes

Sometimes a hangover is not the worst thing that can happen to you… Apokawixa is the story of a group of high school graduates who – tired of successive lockdowns – decide to organise a ‘party of a lifetime’ at the seaside. Despite alarmingly high concentrations of blue-green algae in the Baltic Sea and cases of strange infections, initially everything goes normally – beach, dancing, sex, drinking, throes of love and disappointments. However, minute by minute the whole thing starts to get out of hand. A zombie outbreak strikes in the middle of the party. The main characters have to fight for their lives.

The film features promising actors from the younger generation: Mikołaj Kubacki, Waleria Gorobets, Natalia Pitry, Alicja Wieniawa-Narkiewicz, Mariusz Urbaniec, Aleksander Kaleta, Mikołaj Matczak, Marta Stalmierska, Monika Mikołajczak, Oskar Wojciechowski. They are partnered by, among others: Sebastian Fabijański, Tomasz Kot, Cezary Pazura, and Matylda Damięcka.

Apokawixa was included in the Main Competition of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. The festival will take place between 12 and 17 September.

***

APOKAWIXA

Premiere: 7/10/2022

Starring: Mikołaj Kubacki, Waleria Gorobets, Natalia Pitry, Alicja Wieniawa-Narkiewicz, Mariusz Urbaniec, Aleksander Kaleta, Mikołaj Matczak, Marta Stalmierska, Monika Mikołajczak, Oskar Wojciechowski, Sebastian Fabijański, Tomasz Kot, Cezary Pazura, Matylda Damięcka, Michał Karmowski, Jan Sobolewski, Konrad Eleryk

Directed by: Xawery Żuławski

Screenplay: Xawery Żuławski, Krzysztof Bernaś and Maciej Kazula

Producer: Anna Waśniewska – Gill

Production:  TVN Warner Bros. Discovery

Executive producer: Krzysztof Terej, Watchout Studio

Pictures: Marian Prokop

Stage design: Marta Skajnowska
Editing: Wojciech Włodarski
Makeup: Cezary Kostrzewski

Costumes: Anna Englert
Music: Jan Komar
Sound: Jarosław Bajdowski, Zofia Moruś

Distribution in Poland: Next Film

“Johnny” is a heart-tugging film based on a true story about how everyone deserves a second chance. When Patryk is given a chance by father Jan Kaczkowski, he does not suspect that this opportunity will completely transform his life. The main roles will be played by Dawid Ogrodnik and Piotr Trojan. These two actors will be joined on the set by, among others: Anna Dymna, Witold Dębicki, Maria Pakulnis and Marta Stalmierska. We present you with the poster and teaser of the film, which will hit the screens on the 23rd of September.

– I wrote this story to convince even the most depressed person that starting a new, happy life is possible even if in the most extreme and unimaginable circumstances. It is a story where life and love prevail. A true story – says Maciej Kraszewski, the screenwriter.

The role of father Jan Kaczkowski, who is a person admired by the religious community and atheists alike, will be played by Dawid Ogrodnik. Patryk Galewski will be played by Piotr Trojan, who has been repeatedly awarded for his part in “25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda”. Oher actors we will see on the screen include, among others: Magdalena Czerwińska, Anna Dymna, Maria Pakulnis, Marta Stalmierska, Witold Dębicki, Michał Kaleta and Joachim Lamża.

– Jan was exceptional because of his straightforward attitude towards religion, which, in his opinion, was mostly about having deep respect for other people and, what is even more important, about acting based on love towards another person – says Dawid Ogrodnik about the character he plays.

– As usual when playing real-life characters, the role is not easy, but Patryk is a fantastic character to play. A hooligan, criminal, student, teacher, chef, father, nurse. Patryk is composed of all these different roles – he is more than just a single character. The role, which seemed to be simple, turned out to be extremely complicated. It was full of significant changes and internal contrasts — comments Piotr Trojan on the character he plays.

The director of the film is Daniel Jaroszek, who up to this moment has carried out projects in the advertising industry. “Johnny” will be his first feature film. Daniel has three Advertising Creators Club swords for projects he has done with Papaya Films.

The film is produced by Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM). The co-producers include: TVN, Grupa Moderator Studio Filmowe, Warmia Resport, Rafał Różański, Visual Work Rebel Media, Dawid Podsiadło, Maciej Woć, Sebastian Kwiatkowski, Aneta Graff-Dąbrowska, Abstraction Plan, Dreamsound, Cineline, Maciej Kraszewski and Dobra Robota.

The film is made in collaboration with the family of father Jan and the Jan Kaczkowski Foundation.

The executive producer of the film is Festival Group sp. z o.o., and the distributor is NEXT FILM.

Co-financing:

JOHNNY

Premiere: 23/09/2022

“Johnny” is a true story that inspires and touches people’s hearts. It is told from the perspective of father Jan Kaczkowski’s protégé – Patryk Galewski, a boy with a difficult start in life.

Patryk breaks into a house in a small town. He is sentenced to community service at the hospice in Puck, where he meets father Jan Kaczkowski, who is quite an unusual person. The priest engages young boys from the vocational school who seem to be tough and rebellious, into helping the sick. In his work, he focuses on intimacy, affection and the struggle to establish a connection with other people. He teaches empathy. And he does it with a great sense of humour, which gains him huge popularity. Shortly afterwards, father Jan becomes a patient himself. Patryk is put in a position that will change his entire life.

Starring: Dawid Ogrodnik, Piotr Trojan, Magdalena Czerwińska, Anna Dymna, Maria Pakulnis, Marta Stalmierska, Witold Dębicki, Michał Kaleta, Joachim Lamża

Director: Daniel Jaroszek

Screenplay: Maciej Kraszewski

Producer: Robert Kijak

Co-producers: Anna Waśniewska-Gill, Rafał Różański, Adam Gudell, Łukasz Niedźwiecki, Joanna Oziębała, Dawid Podsiadło, Maciej Woć, Sebastian Kwiatkowski, Piotr Modzelewski, Marek Czeredys, Marcin Kasiński, Kacper Habisiak, Tadeusz Król, Mateusz Szulc, Stefan Krzyżanowski, Aneta Graff-Dąbrowska, Agnieszka Rossa, Maciej Kraszewski, Marcin Perzyna, Agnieszka Porzezińska

Cinematography: Michał Dąbal PSC

Set design: Karolina Rączka

Costumes: Zofia Komasa

Make up: Liliana Gałązka

Casting director: Konrad Bugaj

Editing: Maciej Kozłowski

Sound: Sebastian Brański, Wojciech Mielimąka, Marcin Kasiński

Music: Michał Kush

Production manager: Michał Lipski

Line producer: Anna Orska-Olszewska

Executive producer: Marcin Perzyna, Agnieszka Porzezińska

Production: NEXT FILM

Co-financing: The Polish Film Institute

Distribution: NEXT FILM

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

The premiere of “Fucking Bornholm” directed by Anna Kazejak is taking place today at the Mastercard Off Camera International Festival of Independent Cinema. The main characters of the film – beautiful, forty years old and in crisis – will experience a May Day Picnic that is far from idyllic. Watch trailers of the film.

What is the genesis of “Fucking Bornholm”? – The idea was born from the lives and observations of my friends. I’ve traveled on vacations in RVs and trailers and I have many good and some bad memories associated with it. At some point, there also came a time when our relationship began to shake on its foundations and some of the situations that viewers will see in the film took place during our trips. So, what inspired me to write the script was the life – mine and my friends’. – says director and co-screenwriter Anna Kazejak.

Agnieszka Grochowska says: – I hope that viewers expecting the cinema to show stories that are interesting, profound, ones that contain the strange, absurd elements that are so present in our lives, will want to see this film.

The film is produced by Friends With Benefits Studio. The co-producers are TVN Discovery Group, Pomerania Film and Empik Go. The film is based on the Empik Go audio play. Distribution in Poland: NEXT FILM.

Waldek, his crazy aunt and his overprotective mother stole the hearts of the audience. The opening weekend of Kristoffer Rus’ “Too Big for Fairy Tales” (“Za duży na bajki”) brought a record-breaking result for the Polish family cinema. #ChildrenHavePower

“Too Old for Fairy Tales” was well received by audiences and critics – acclaimed as a smart, valuable, yet enjoyable and entertaining film. The story of Waldek, played by the excellent Maciej Karaś, has already been seen by 45,000 viewers, with a record number of over 33,000 during the opening weekend. This is the best result among all Polish family productions after 1989.

When Kristoffer Rus started working on the film, he had no doubts whatsoever in its success:

“I have three kids, so I knew there weren’t enough movies for young people. When I read the script, it felt like it was finally going to be a smart, funny movie that says about things that are important in life, and is also going to be fun and something to talk about when you leave the theater.”

The production has involved actors with an established professional position and great sympathy of the audience – Karolina Gruszka, Dorota Kolak and Andrzej Grabowski, but the most noteworthy are the creations by young talents – Maciej Karaś, Patryk Siemek and Amelia Fijałkowska – these are names that we will hear about more than once.

The screenplay for the film is based on the book of the same title and written by its author, Agnieszka Dąbrowska. The book has received so much positive feedback from parents and teachers that it has even been hailed as a must-read for children. The reissued edition of the book and the audiobook, read by Bartłomiej Topa, have just been released. You can listen to its excerpt here:

Audiobook

 The main character of the film is Waldek (Maciej Karaś), and his life, filled mainly with computer games, faces a real earthquake. While his mother (Karolina Gruszka) is away, he is left in the care of his crazy and unpredictable aunt (Dorota Kolak), who introduces a new discipline and imposes new responsibilities on him. However, even though this extraordinary relative treats Waldek to a real survival camp, the boy learns the most valuable lesson of his life from her.

The film is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and co-produced by the Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission. The film is produced by Pokromski Studio.

It’s going to be one crazy adventure, and the teenage life of Waldek – organised around what he believes to be the most important things – will be turned upside down many times over. “Good stories are like a mirror. They allow you to see your own life in a different way. Just like Waldek, each of us sometimes needs a kind soul who will give us confidence and courage in the right moment. Read! “Too Old for Fairy Tales” will give you the strength you need!” – Karolina Gruszka

A fun story about growing up, great passion and the power of freedom. It is also an inspiring tale about the most important things in life!

Waldek has his PIORITITIES: a gaming tournament, money and psycho fans. He’s also lucky because his mum understands this perfectly. She might be a little overprotective but never mind. However, his world is turned upside down when his mum has to go to the hospital and Waldek finds himself in the care of his crazy aunt, Mariolka. She brings discipline into his life, switches him to a healthy diet and forces him to practice sports, which Waldek hates. As if that were not enough, Waldek’s team is falling apart, and his participation in the tournament of his dreams becomes a touch-and-go situation… There’s no way around it, Waldek will have to face these challenges.

The question is: can he?

Agnieszka Dąbrowska does not create unrealistic worlds inhabited by artificial characters. Instead, she invites young readers of all genders to meet their peers, kids who could easily be their buddies from class or next-door neighbours. Their joys and sorrows, their difficult, blooming emotions and the times of horror and surprises, with a gaming tournament in the background…

• The “Too Old for Fairy Tales” e-book is the perfect offer for enthusiasts of adventures, unexpected twists and unforgettable characters. The stories of Waldek and his friends, aunt Mariolka, mum and dad were brought further to life by the illustrations of Marta Krzywicka.

• “Too Old for Fairy Tales” (e-book in the epub and kindle mobi format) is an adventure novel for teenagers aged 10–13.

The “Too Old for Fairy Tales” book and e-book is recommended by: WP.pl, Czas Dzieci.pl and Radio Złote Przeboje

“Too Old for Fairy Tales”, directed by Kristoffer Rus and written by Agnieszka Dąbrowska, with excellent child actors and Dorota Kolak, Karolina Gruszka and Andrzej Grabowski, hits the cinemas on 18 March 2022!

“Too Old for Fairy Tales” – how to read the e-book? You can read the e-book easily in the Publio mobile application on your smartphone or tablet. Do you have an e-book reader (Kindle, PocketBook, inkBook, etc.)? Download the electronic epub or kindle mobi file and read the book the way you like.

The shooting of a new film directed by Jan Holoubek (“25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda”) begins, with a star-studded international cast. “Doppelgänger. Sobowtór” is another production of TVN Grupa Discovery. The film is announced to be released in 2023. The production has received funding from the Polish Film Institute.

Jan Holoubek is one of the most acclaimed directors of the younger generation, his debut feature film “25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda” (“25 lat niewinności. Sprawa Tomka Komendy”) won plenty of awards and critical recognition. The director is again inspired by true stories. In “Doppelgänger. Sobowtór” the plot will center around identity theft.

For me, the most important layer of the film, hidden underneath the crime story, is the psychological one considering identity. “Doppelgänger. Sobowtór” is the story of losing it. I find the parallelism of the characters experiencing this almost simultaneously fascinating. This is a genre psychological thriller that takes us back to a fascinating time in the late 1970s and the beginning of the decade that followed. It plays out on both sides of the Iron Curtain at the same time. The main character settles in France, taking advantage of the comforts and freedoms that the prosperous West had to offer, and blends into the local community as part of an intelligence effort. In the background of the main plot, there is the “great story” of the turn of the decades – the events of August ’80, the dark years of martial law and finally the time of transformation. This is an extremely compelling period for me – Jan Holoubek, the director of the film.

“Doppelgänger. Sobowtór” is inspired by true stories of Polish special agents in the People’s Republic of Poland who used to steal other peoples’ identities and build false relationships along with their spy careers on them.

There were not many such intelligence agents of the People’s Republic of Poland. Only the best and most intelligent individuals with nerves of steel succeeded in the art of living with false personal details. “Duplicate” is the highest level of spy initiation. It is estimated that there were only fifteen such agents in the 1970s. Our character, played by Jakub Gierszał, was one of them. Preparations for the film took almost two years, and the start of shooting was preceded by long, meticulous documentation done by the director and the crew, as well as international castings – Anna Waśniewska, producer of the film, TVN Discovery Group.

This is already my second film, on a much larger scale, which is being made with a grant from the Polish Film Institute. I would like to thank the experts and the head, Radosław Śmigulski, for this support – adds the director of the film, Jan Holoubek.

Starring the excellent Jakub Gierszał and Emily Kusche known from the TV series “Sloborn”. The cast: Tomasz Schuchardt, Wiktoria Gorodeckaja, Andrzej Seweryn, Katarzyna Herman, Nathalie Richard, Joachim Raaf and Jessica McIntyre.

The film will be shot in Warsaw, Tricity, Bydgoszcz, Wrocław and Riga, Latvia.

The film is distributed by NEXT FILM.

The official premiere of the film “8 Things You Don’t Know About Men” (“8 rzeczy, których nie wiecie o facetach”) directed by Sylwester Jakimow took place in Warsaw. Alicja Bachleda Curuś, Mikołaj Roznerski, Maciej Zakościelny, Piotr Głowacki and Katarzyna Skrzynecka, among others, attended the event. The film will be released nationwide on January 28. 

What is the movie “8 Things You Don’t Know About Men”, the follow-up to the 2016 comedy hit, about? What followed the proverbial “they lived happily ever after”? The sequel of the comedy about male “weaknesses,” Ricky (Zbigniew Zamachowski) struggles with a creative crisis, Jarosław (Piotr Głowacki) with panic attacks, Filip (Paweł Domagała) goes crazy on the stock market, Stefan (Leszek Lichota) tries to control his anger, and Kordian (Maciej Zakościelny) tries to put his broken heart back together. Tomek (Mikołaj Roznerski) is the only one of his friends who continues to dare to fulfill his dreams. And he ends up getting into trouble because of it. Apart from Basia (Alicja Bachleda Curuś) and Zosia (Joanna Jarmołowicz), known from the previous part, a completely new character – mysterious Pestka (Karolina Bruchnicka) – will be drawn into the vortex of guys’ craziness.

The first part of the series, “7 Things You Don’t Know About Men” ( (“7 rzeczy, których nie wiecie o facetach”) was seen in theaters by 1.1 million viewers, during the first TV broadcast – 3.2 million. The production also reigned supreme on VOD services and streaming platforms in Poland.

“8 Things You Don’t Know About Men” was directed by Sylvester Yakimov. Alina Puchała, Adam Musielski and others were responsible for the script. The comedy is an MTL Maxfilm production. The film was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

– I want the audience to fall in love with Marlenka’s mother – says Dorota Stalińska, who stars as a new character of “Kogel Mogel [Eggnog]” and creates an unforgettable duo with Katarzyna Skrzynecka. Other actors we will see on the screen include, among others, Marian Opania and Karol Strasburger. “Koniec świata czyli Kogel Mogel 4 [The End of the World. Eggnog 4]” will hit the big screen on the 7th of January.

– I play an ageing Don Juan, a fraudster looking for a rich woman – says Marian Opania. – The script is really well-written, I loved it from the very beginning – he adds.

Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska will play the role of the legendary Kasia Zawada for the fourth time: – The first parts of “Kogel Mogel [Eggnog]” were filmed about 30 years ago. Since then, we have all changed. I am no longer the same Kasia, I am no longer 20. I am really happy that this enormous audience that so appreciated previous parts of the film and was really looking forward to the sequel will finally get to see the fourth part. For me, as an actor, it is a great opportunity to play a slightly older character. Kasia has a son, her mother has got old, and the world has changed – it is an interesting role to play and share with the viewers.

There is also much going on in the lives of the younger characters of “ Koniec Świata [The End of the World]” – there is a marriage proposal, but there are problems as well. The relationship of Marcin (Nikodem Rozbicki) and Agnieszka (Aleksandra Hamkało) is put to the test because of the heartbroken lover, Bożenka (Anna Mucha).

Aleksandra Hamkało comments on the character she plays: – The life of Agnieszka in “Kogel Mogel 4[Eggnog 4]” is different from the one presented in the previous part. She has to face completely new challenges, and I have a feeling, that she has also changed a little bit. Not too much, though, as she is still a funny character – a little bit of a goof and a drama queen. She has this incredible ability to create chaos everywhere she goes.

THE END OF THE WORLD. EGGNOG 4

The love of Agnieszka and Marcin flourishes, just like the feeling between Kasia and professor Wolański. Grandma Solska dreams only about the wedding of her only grandson… But the happiness of the young Zawada boy is interrupted by his old lover, Bożenka. Wolańska decides to completely change her life and disappears in mysterious circumstances. The peace of Piotruś and Marlenka is disturbed by an unexpected visit of a mother from overseas… And some very embarrassing photos kick off a series of events. We will witness the real end of the world!

 The cast of the fourth part of “Eggnog” once again includes: Nikodem Rozbicki, Aleksandra Hamkało, Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska, Ewa Kasprzyk, Zdzisław Wardejn, Katarzyna Skrzynecka, Maciej Zakościelny, Anna Mucha, Katarzyna Łaniewska, Paweł Nowisz, Małgorzata Rożniatowska, Wiktor Zborowski, Joanna Jarmołowicz and Wojciech Solarz. They were joined by (among others): Dorota Stalińska, Marian Opania and Karol Strasburger.

The previous part of the series, i.e. “Miszmasz czyli Kogel Mogel 3 [Eggnog 3]”, was seen in the cinemas by almost 2.4 million viewers. “Koniec świata czyli Kogel Mogel 4 [The End of the World. Eggnog 4]” was directed by Anna Wieczur. It was produced by MTL Maxfilm. The film was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

Premiering on: 7 January 2022

Cast: Nikodem Rozbicki (Marcin), Aleksandra Hamkało (Agnieszka), Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska (Kasia), Ewa Kasprzyk (Wolańska), Zdzisław Wardejn (Wolański), Katarzyna Skrzynecka (Marlenka), Maciej Zakościelny (Piotruś), Dorota Stalińska (Marlenka’s mum), Anna Mucha (Bożenka), Katarzyna Łaniewska (Solska), Paweł Nowisz (Goździk), Małgorzata Rożniatowska (Goździkowa), Wiktor Zborowski (county head), Joanna Jarmołowicz (policewoman), Wojciech Solarz (policeman), Mayu Gralińska-Sakai (Mary), Marian Opania (Leopold Kapusta), Karol Strasburger (Kazimierz Janik)

Director: Anna Wieczur

Screenplay: Ilona Łepkowska

Cinematography: Jan Cybis

Set design: Katarzyna Piąstka

Editing: Marceli Majer GMP

Costumes: Anna Męczyńska

Make up: Janina Dybowska-Person

Music: Atanas Valkov, Krzysztof A. Janczak

Sound: Adam Szmit, Kacper Habisiak MPSE, Marcin Kasiński MPSE

Producer: Tadeusz Lampka, Ilona Łepkowska
Production: MTL Maxfilm

Distribution: Next Film

Co-financing: The Polish Film Institute

The iconic comedy series “Kogel Mogel [Eggnog]” is coming back to the cinemas! The fourth part, “Koniec świata czyli Kogel Mogel 4 [The End of the World. Eggnog 4]”, will premiere already on the 7th of January. The audience will see further events from the lives of the characters known from the previous parts, but they will also meet new characters who boldly enter the world of the Zawada and Wolański families. We present you with the trailer of the film.

PLOT

The love of Agnieszka and Marcin flourishes, just like the feeling between Kasia and professor Wolański. Grandma Solska dreams only about the wedding of her only grandson… But the happiness of the young Zawada boy is interrupted by his old lover, Bożenka. Wolańska decides to completely change her life and disappears in mysterious circumstances. The peace of Piotruś and Marlenka is disturbed by an unexpected visit of a mother from overseas… And some very embarrassing photos kick off a series of events. We will witness the real end of the world!

OUR OLD ACQUAINTANCES AND NEW CHARACTERS

The cast of the fourth part of “Kogel Mogel [Eggnog]” once again includes: Nikodem Rozbicki, Aleksandra Hamkało, Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska, Ewa Kasprzyk, Zdzisław Wardejn, Katarzyna Skrzynecka, Maciej Zakościelny, Anna Mucha, Katarzyna Łaniewska, Paweł Nowisz, Małgorzata Rożniatowska, Wiktor Zborowski, Joanna Jarmołowicz and Wojciech Solarz. They were joined by (among others): Dorota Stalińska, Marian Opania and Karol Strasburger.

The film will dedicate more time to the love story of the couple who won the hearts of the viewers – Marlenka (Katarzyna Skrzynecka) and Piotruś (Maciej Zakościelny) – who will be accompanied by the colourful character of the mother.

– At first, we did not know who would play the role of Marlenka’s mother. We had an audition for the role. When Dorota Stalińska appeared and did splits during the screen tests, we were impressed. We knew that she was perfect for the role – says Ilona Łepkowska, who wrote the screenplay for every film from the series.

The previous part of the series, i.e. “Kogel Mogel [Eggnog 3]”, was seen in the cinemas by almost 2.4 million viewers. “Koniec świata czyli Kogel Mogel 4 [The End of the World. Eggnog 4]” was directed by Anna Wieczur. It was produced by MTL Maxfilm. The film was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

THE END OF THE WORLD. EGGNOG

Premiering on: 7 January 2022

Cast: Nikodem Rozbicki (Marcin), Aleksandra Hamkało (Agnieszka), Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska (Kasia), Ewa Kasprzyk (Wolańska), Zdzisław Wardejn (Wolański), Katarzyna Skrzynecka (Marlenka), Maciej Zakościelny (Piotruś), Dorota Stalińska (Marlenka’s mum), Anna Mucha (Bożenka), Katarzyna Łaniewska (Solska), Paweł Nowisz (Goździk), Małgorzata Rożniatowska (Goździkowa), Wiktor Zborowski (county head), Joanna Jarmołowicz (policewoman), Wojciech Solarz (policeman), Mayu Gralińska-Sakai (Mary), Marian Opania (Leopold Kapusta), Karol Strasburger (Kazimierz Janik)

Director: Anna Wieczur

Screenplay: Ilona Łepkowska

Cinematography: Jan Cybis

Set design: Katarzyna Piąstka

Editing: Marceli Majer GMP

Costumes: Anna Męczyńska

Make up: Janina Dybowska-Person

Music: Atanas Valkov, Krzysztof A. Janczak

Sound: Adam Szmit, Kacper Habisiak MPSE, Marcin Kasiński MPSE

Producer: Tadeusz Lampka, Ilona Łepkowska
Production: MTL Maxfilm

Distribution: Next Film

Co-financing: The Polish Film Institute

The age of Greek heroes and Egyptian gods has come to an end. Slavic mythology has arrived big time! All because of “Magic Fern Flower” – an adventure fairy tale, which has just finished shooting. The hypnotising world of the old pagan myths of the Slavic people will be introduced by: Janusz Chabior, Piotr Głowacki, Sebastian Stankiewicz and Laura Breszka (among others). The film is directed by Sebastian Kwidzyński and Marta Filipiak, and it will hit the screens in 2023.

OLD POLISH BELIEFS AND FOLK LEGENDS

“Magic Fern Flower” is an exciting story intended for children and their parents alike. Based on a fairy tale by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, the film will additionally feature characters from Slavic mythology. In addition to the main character, Jacek, who will be looking for the mythic flower, you will also get to see a Lubberkin, Will-o’-the-wisp, the devil Rokita or a Striga.

Persuaded by the herbalist, Jacek goes out in search of the fern flower. According to Slavic beliefs, the flower will bestow eternal fortune onto anyone who finds it. The boy is poor, and he wants to use the flower to save his sick sister. To do so, he will have to face the many dangers of the forests. Including cunning demons. Jacek’s greatest fight, however, will be with himself. Will he be able to find the fern flower and stay true to his values?

– We were asked many times why we had decided to film “Fern Flower” in particular. The answer is simple: we wanted to go back to the world of childhood, magic and fairy tales. “Fern Flower” is a tale about the first steps and choices, about the path to maturity and about desire and love. These are the challenges many people have to face when they are young – says the producer, Marta Filipiak.

A SUSTAINABLE CREATION

“Magic Fern Flower” is a combination of excellent acting, advanced computer techniques and enormous, handcrafted sets – a cave sprawling across over a dozen meters or dozens of scenery sets showing dark forests, swamps or villages. In the spirit of sustainable production, all parts of this magic world were created mainly by using materials from recycling and upcycling.

Everyone wanted to star in a film made with vision and passion. The cast of the film includes Janusz Chabior, Piotr Głowacki, Sebastian Stankiewicz, Laura Breszka and Jerzy Bończak (among others). The main character, Jacek, is played by Staś Kotwicki, who is making his debut on the big screen.

The screenplay was written by Katarzyna Płońska, and the film was directed by Sebastian Kwidzyński and Marta Filipiak. Although all three of them have produced films and shows for many years, this is the first time they get to write and direct a feature film. “Magic Fern Flower” is produced by Fundacja Czarny Karzeł. Co-producers include Grupa Moderator Studio Filmowe Sp. z o.o., Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych i Fabularnych and Fixafilm Sp. z o.o. The film will be distributed by NEXT FILM.

“Magic Fern Flower” will hit the screens in 2023.

***

MAGIC FERN FLOWER

PREMIERING ON: 2023

Starring: Staś Kotwicki, Janusz Chabior, Piotr Głowacki, Sebastian Stankiewicz, Laura Breszka, Jerzy Bończak, Lech Dyblik, Kuba Golla, Karolina Piechota, Szymon Mysłakowski, Mateusz Grydlik

Director: Sebastian Kwidziński, Marta Filipiak

Screenplay: Katarzyna Płońska

Cinematography: Łukasz Owczarzak

Set design: Marta Filipiak

Make up: Paula Celińska, Agnieszka Hodowana

Costumes: Marta Filipiak

Editing: Piotr Kmiecik

Music: Paweł Mykietyn

Production manager: Piotr Noszczyk

Producer: Fundacja Czarny Karzeł

Executive producer: Marta Filipiak

Creative producer: Marta Filipiak

Co-production: Grupa Moderator Sp. z o.o. , FixaFilm Sp. z o.o., WFDiF

Distribution: NEXT FILM

The shooting for “Too Old for Fairy Tales”, a film directed by Kristoffer Rus, has just ended. It is a sensitive tale about a boy who has to face difficult issues and take a big step into the grown-up world. The story is told in a language that is understandable and attractive to modern kids. Its young characters are trying to join a big video game tournament, but, on their way to victory, they realise that their passion for video games is less important than the power of love and friendship. The main children’s roles will be played by the following new actors: Maciej Karaś, Patryk Siemek and Amelia Fijałkowska, who will be joined on the set by Karolina Gruszka, Dorota Kolak and Andrzej Grabowski. The film will hit the screens next year.

“I am very happy that we are taking our younger audience seriously. The whole team approached this project with a determination to create a smart but entertaining film that would not be intended solely for children. Now, after we have finished shooting, I am confident that our main actor will win the hearts of our audience. He is a very talented new actor, something that is quite rare in Polish cinema” – says Kristoffer Rus, the director.

“We always aim to create a film that is fun but also tackles an important issue… I am deeply convinced that we have managed to pull it off this time. This is a smart, dynamic and amusing story, told from the perspective of a very special character, and it will certainly win the hearts and minds of audiences of all ages” – adds Mikołaj Pokromski, the producer.

A spoiled ten-year-old boy, Waldek (Maciej Karaś) wants to join the largest European video game tournament. It seems that the illness of his mum (Karolina Gruszka) and his eccentric aunt (Dorota Kolak) will prevent him from fulfilling his dream, but, unexpectedly, it is because of these circumstances that the boy will gain something more valuable than a win in the gaming tournament. The screenplay was written by Agnieszka Dąbrowska herself, and it was based on her eponymous book. The book attracted a lot of positive attention from teachers and parents, and it was even dubbed as a must-read for the latter and their children.

The film is co-financed by Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej and co-produced by Mazowiecki i Warszawski Fundusz Filmowy. The producer of the film is Pokromski Studio.

“Too Old for Fairy Tales”

Cast: Karolina Gruszka, Dorota Kolak, Andrzej Grabowski, Maciej Karaś, Patryk Siemek, Amelia Fijałkowska

Director: Kristoffer Rus

Producer: Mikołaj Pokromski

Screenplay: Agnieszka Dąbrowska 

Cinematography: Jan Rus Słomiński

Set design: Aleksandra Kierzkowska

Costumes: Pola Gomółka

Make up: Waldemar Pokromski, Marta Szczerkowska

Sound: Grzegorz Kucharski, Jarosław Sadowski

Editing: Marcin Konarzewski

Co-financing: Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej

Co-production: Mazowiecki i Warszawski Fundusz Filmowy, Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury, Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa, Województwo Mazowieckie

Production: Pokromski Studio

The filming of “Johnny” by Daniel Jaroszek has just ended. The film tells the story of father Jan Kaczkowski, the founder of an in-home hospice in Puck, an extremely popular priest, vlogger and author, who was breaking all stereotypes. The main characters from the film are played by Dawid Ogrodnik and Piotr Trojan. Other actors we will see on the screen include, among others: Maria Pakulnis and Joachim Lamża. 

BIG HEART AND OPEN MIND

“Johnny” is a true story that inspires and touches people’s hearts. It is told from the perspective of father Jan Kaczkowski’s protégé – Patryk Galewski, a boy with a difficult start in life.

Patryk breaks into a house in a small town. He is sentenced to community service at the hospice in Puck, where he meets father Jan Kaczkowski, who is quite an unusual person. The priest engages young boys from the vocational school who seem to be tough rebels, into helping the terminally ill. In his work, he focuses on intimacy, affection and the struggle to establish a connection with other people. He teaches empathy. And he does it with a great sense of humour, which gains him huge popularity. Shortly afterwards, father Jan himself becomes a patient in the hospice. Patryk is put in a position that will change his entire life.

– It is not a story about building the hospice or fighting a terminal disease. “Johnny” is an emotional rollercoaster that alternately makes you laugh and cry, is both scary and touching. The plot leads us from extremely dark moments through a battle with oneself and the outside world to finding meaning and hope in life. The viewers will be overwhelmed with emotions not only while watching the film but also many hours later – says the director, Daniel Jaroszek, about the film.

AUTHORS

The role of father Jan Kaczkowski, who is admired by the religious community and atheists alike, will be played by Dawid Ogrodnik. Piotr Trojan, who has been repeatedly awarded for his part in the film “25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda”, will star as Patryk. Other actors we will see on the screen include, among others: Maria Pakulnis, Anna Dymna, Joachim Lamża and Witold Dębicki. The author of the screenplay is Maciej Kraszewski. The director of the film is Daniel Jaroszek, who up to this moment has carried out projects in the advertising industry. “Johnny” will be his first feature film. Daniel has three Advertising Creators Club swords for projects he has done with Papaya Films.

The film producer is Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM). The co-producers are TVN SA, Grupa Moderator Studio Filmowe sp. z o.o., Warmia Resport Spółka z o.o., OpenMedia Rafał Różański, Visual Work Rebel Media sp. z o.o., Pressprom Sebastian Kwiatkowski, PUR PUR – Dawid Podsiadlo Maciej Woć, Abstraction Plan sp. z o.o. Sp.k., Dreamsound sp. z o.o., Cineline s.c., KRASZEWSKI FILM – Maciej Kraszewski and Dobra Robota sp. z o.o.

The film is created in collaboration with the family of father Jan and the Jan Kaczkowski Foundation.

The executive producer of the film is Festival Group sp. z o.o., and the distributor is NEXT FILM. 

THE LAST DAY OF SHOOTING

On the last day of shooting “Johnny”, the family of father Kaczkowski appeared on the set: the parents – Helena and Ziuk Kaczkowski, siblings – Magdalena Sekuła and Filip Kaczkowski, friends – Patryk and Żaneta Galewski, Anna Labuda – the head of the Puck hospice, Jurek Owsiak, the volunteers and employees of the hospice in Puck and Father Jan Kaczkowski Foundation. Hanna Pruchniewska, the mayor of Puck, and Jacek Karnowski, the president of Sopot, also made their appearance.

The shooting began in August and took place in outdoor locations in Konstancin, Puck and Sopot, among others. The cinema premiere is scheduled for autumn 2022.

***

JOHNNY

Starring: Dawid Ogrodnik, Piotr Trojan, Maria Pakulnis, Joachim Lamża, Anna Dymna, Witold Dębicki

Director: Daniel Jaroszek

Screenplay: Maciej Kraszewski

Cinematography: Michał Dąbal PC

Set design: Karolina Rączka

Make up: Liliana Gałązka

Costumes: Zofia Komasa

Casting director: Konrad Bugaj

Editing: Maciej Kozłowski

Music: Michał Kush

Production manager: Michał Lipski

Producer: Robert Kijak

Production: NEXT FILM

Co-production: TVN SA, Grupa Moderator Studio Filmowe sp. z o.o., Warmia Resport Spółka z o.o., OpenMedia Rafał Różański, Visual Work Rebel Media sp. z o.o., Pressprom Sebastian Kwiatkowski, PUR PUR – Dawid Podsiadlo Maciej Woć, Abstraction Plan sp. z o.o. Sp. k., Dreamsound sp. z o.o., Cineline s.c., KRASZEWSKI FILM – Maciej Kraszewski, Dobra Robota Sp. z o.o.

Executive producer: Festival Group sp. z o.o

Distribution: NEXT FILM

“She never felt ashamed, that was just the way she was” – says Katarzyna Klimkiewicz, the director of “Autumn Girl” when talking about Kalina Jędrusik. The legendary Polish sex symbol was portrayed by Maria Dębska. This long-expected film is coming out in cinemas on 12 November. It will be screened before the official release during the New Horizons Film Festival in Wrocław and at the Main Competition of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. We present you with the poster and first film teaser of “Autumn Girl”.

The biggest sex symbol of the Polish People’s Republic

Warsaw, the 1960s. Millions of Poles sit in front of their black-and-white TV screens.

Suddenly, someone appears and draws their attention. It is Kalina Jędrusik (Maria Dębska) – a phenomenal actress and singer who brings colour into this grey, dreary reality. She shines with her grace and sex appeal, leaving men electrified and women outraged. She is the first sex symbol in the Polish People’s Republic, the Polish Marilyn Monroe.

Kalina refuses to give in to what is expected of women in her times. She lives by her own rules, and this is not always appreciated by the prudish society and certain influential people in power. She is involved in many scandals, lives in a ménage à trois with her husband, Stanisław Dygat (Leszek Lichota) and Lucek (Krzysztof Zalewski), makes controversial statements and wears outfits that radiate sex appeal, causing her to become one of the most controversial figures in the Polish People’s Republic. And yet, the biggest scandal in her career is still to come…

“Autumn Girl” depicts an important part of the life of Kalina Jędrusik, who is obviously one of the biggest icons of the Polish pop culture. It is a story of the highs and lows of her turbulent career, her proudest and most embarrassing moments. Her own story is accompanied by the bigger picture – the wild parties of the cream of the contemporary society.

The cast will also include other landmark figures of the Polish cultural scene: Kazimierz Kutz (Borys Szyc), Tadeusz Konwicki (Paweł Tomaszewski) or founders of the Elderly Gentlemen’s Cabaret – Jeremi Przybora (Rafał Rutkowski) and Jerzy Wasowski (Dariusz Basiński).

The poster was prepared by GRAVIKA | Helena Hauswirt.

The dazzling 1960s.

– We made everything we could to make sure that the world shown on the screen seemed very real. The cinema-goers should want to find themselves on the other side of the screen and enjoy a sip of vodka – says Maria Dębska. – It is wonderful that the sixties are not shown to be dreary, rainy or foggy; instead, they dazzle you with their lights, neon glow and bewitching charm – she adds.

The protagonist of “Autumn Girl” was a symbol of sex appeal, independency, rebellion and joie de vivre. She was a nonchalant woman who would not be bothered just because she made the wrong impression on someone. She was not afraid to outrage people or cause controversy, and she did not much care if anyone did not like what she was doing – says Katarzyna Klimkiewicz.

Pre-release screenings

The first pre-release screenings of the film are scheduled to take place already this August. The film will be shown at the New Horizons International Film Festival in Wrocław (12–22 August). In September, “Autumn Girl” will try for the Golden Lions in the Main Competition of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia (20–25 September).

Making decisions that can turn our world upside down is not easy. However, you can’t avoid maturity and responsibility forever. The characters from “Black Sheep”, a bitter-sweet comedy, have to face some serious dilemmas. The members of the Gruz family are at the turning point of their lives… Will every character find their own path to happiness? We present you with the official trailer of “Black Sheep”, a film directed by Aleksander Pietrzak (produced by the TVN Discovery Group). The film will hit the cinemas on 13 August.

Watch the trailer

The audience coming to the cinema to watch “Black Sheep” will easily identify with the characters. The film is about problems that we all have to deal with, even if we do not want to talk about them or we are scared to do so. The relations between the members of the Gruz family, despite the light tone of the film, make us reflect on our own lives. 

“There is no such thing as a perfect family. The members of my family in the film cannot communicate with one another and tend to hide their needs deep inside. I believe these are the main reasons why they have reached a major turning point of their lives” – explains Arkadiusz Jakubik, who plays the father of Tomek (played by Kamil Szeptycki). The role of the mother, Magda, is played by Magdalena Popławska, who described the relations between the characters as follows: “The problem of this family is the immaturity of its members. Magda is immature because she has been living a lie for many years. Her husband is immature because he cannot confront reality. And their son, Tomek, is simply still an immature kid”. In the film, apart from Popławska and Jakubik, we will see Kamil Szeptycki, Agata Różycka, Anna Cieślak, Anna Smołowik and Włodzimierz Press.

Watch the video

“Black sheep” is a bitter-sweet story about a modern family where everybody is fed up with something. When troubles, conflicts and desires that have been repressed for many years finally explode, everybody starts to live their own life. Or at least they think they do… Will they find their path to happiness? It is a film about bonds that are impossible to break. It gives humorous answers to many important questions regarding family relations and growing up.

Aleksander Pietrzak, director:

The film touches upon many topics, such as the choice between career and family, growing into the role of a father, the problems with finding yourself in a completely new life situation, but it mostly deals with the fact that when a child makes bonds, they last forever. Laughter and crying are the two most beautiful emotions. This is exactly what we get from a comedy drama and, hopefully, will also get from “Black Sheep”.

Anna Waśniewska-Gill, producer:

It is a universal story about growing up that everyone can identify with. It humorously depicts the intergenerational differences, problems caused by miscommunication and the fear of showing your true feelings. We wanted to show the truth about a family and different moments in the life of a small community. Funny moments, but sometimes also sad and scary ones. After the really difficult experience that we all have been sharing for a year now, we are aware that people long for positive emotions, and we are sure that “Black Sheep” by Alek Pietrzak can evoke such emotions.

“Black Sheep”

in cinemas as of 13 August 2021

Cast: Arkadiusz Jakubik, Magdalena Popławska, Kamil Szeptycki, Agata Różycka,
Anna Cieślak, Anna Smołowik and Włodzimierz Press

Director: Aleksander Pietrzak
Screenplay: Bartosz Kozera
Cinematography: Mateusz Pastewka
Casting director: Marta Kownacka
Producer: Anna Waśniewska
Executive producer: Rafał Ulicki
Production: TVN Discovery Group

Magdalena Popławska, Arkadiusz Jakubik and Kamil Szeptycki in a film about a family whose every member is put to the test. Sometimes, a single word can bring about a series of consequences, and one decision can change the fate of an entire family… Still, changes do not always have to be bad, do they?

In the film, apart from recognised and established actors, we will see talented representatives of the younger generation. Tomek, a popular youtuber, is played by Kamil Szeptycki. He is the one to tell the story of the Gruz family, and his comments accurately reflect upon the important events in the life of the family.

In the film, we will see a few people known to YouTube and Instagram fans, such as Cyber Marian, Danny Ferreri, Dziki Trener, Martyna Pysia or Kinga Sawczuk.

“Black Sheep” will hit the in cinemas on 13 August.

“Black Sheep” is a bitter-sweet story about a modern family where everybody is fed up with something. When troubles, conflicts and desires that have been repressed for many years finally explode, everybody starts to live their own life. Or at least they think they do… Will they find their path to happiness? It is a film about bonds that are impossible to break. It gives humorous answers to many important questions regarding family relations and growing up.

Aleksander Pietrzak, director:

The film touches upon many topics, such as the choice between career and family, growing into the role of a father, the problems with finding yourself in a completely new life situation, but it mostly deals with the fact that when a child makes bonds, they last forever. Laughter and crying are the two most beautiful emotions. This is exactly what we get from a comedy drama and, hopefully, will also get from “Black Sheep”.

Anna Waśniewska-Gill, producer:

It is a universal story about growing up that everyone can identify with. It humorously depicts the intergenerational differences, problems caused by miscommunication and the fear of showing your true feelings. We wanted to show the truth about a family and different moments in the life of a small community. Funny moments, but sometimes also sad and scary ones. After the really difficult experience that we all have been sharing for a year now, we are aware that people long for positive emotions, and we are sure that “Black Sheep” by Alek Pietrzak can evoke such emotions.

“Black Sheep”

in cinemas as of 13 August 2021

Cast: Arkadiusz Jakubik, Magdalena Popławska, Kamil Szeptycki, Agata Różycka, Anna Cieślak, Anna Smołowik and Włodzimierz Press

Director: Aleksander Pietrzak

Screenplay: Bartosz Kozera

Cinematography: Mateusz Pastewka

Casting director: Marta Kowacka

Producer: Anna Waśniewska-Gill

Executive producer: Rafał Ulicki

Production: TVN Discovery Group

“In-laws” are a crazy story about what can happen when you finally lose your temper. It is not just another romantic comedy – it is a film about the confrontation of two different worlds that will make you laugh even if you haven’t been to a wedding in quite a while. The main cast includes Maja Ostaszewska, Marcin Dorociński, Izabela Kuna and Adam Woronowicz. The film directed by Kuba Michalczuk will premiere on 10 September. You can watch the trailer today.

APPEARANCES VS. REALITY

Is the wedding party a sure-fire disaster if the wedding is cancelled? Certainly. And what a disaster it is! Everything sets the two families apart – their background, status, wealth and taste. Initially, the parents of the groom (Maja Ostaszewska and Marcin Dorociński) and the bride (Izabela Kuna and Adam Woronowicz) are simply shocked. What happened? Who is responsible for this? What about the wedding party? Should we welcome the guests? Let the music play? Pour drinks? Who will cut the cake? From one word to the next, pleasant smiles turn into a nasty public quarrel. That’s when the real shocker comes… In the meantime, the wedding party grows really wild. And no one seems to be missing the bride and groom.

A COMEDY THAT TURNS THE SPOTLIGHT ON OURSELVES

– The film pokes fun at ourselves, just like the cult comedies we all love as audience – says Kuba Michalczuk, director. – The contrast between war and people having fun is the highlight of every scene. This is the narrative theme of the entire film, which makes you laugh whenever these two elemental forces clash with each other – he adds.

Izabela Kuna, who plays the mother of the supposed bride, emphasises: – I recommend the film to anyone who has ever been or will be to a wedding party.

– There are certainly some myths and stereotypes about wedding parties, but, just like everything else, I am sure that wedding parties can take on many different forms. The wedding party in the „In-laws”, however, is something the audience should see for themselves – there will certainly be plenty of laughs as well as a time for reflection – says Marcin Dorociński. – The supporting characters are a particularly enjoyable part. All the aunts and uncles have been brilliantly cast, they are simply hilarious – he adds.

CAST & CREW

The cast includes Maja Ostaszewska (“Klangor”, “Magnezja”, “(Nie)znajomi”), Marcin Dorociński (“Pitbull. Last Dog”, “The Queen’s Gambit”, “Rose”, “Jack Strong”), Izabela Kuna (“Nieobecni”, “Overclockers”, “Ladies”) and Adam Woronowicz (“Mayday”, “Diagnoza”, “The Butler”).

“In-laws” has been produced by AKSON STUDIO (“Panic Attack”, “Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight”, “Never Cry”) and co-produced and distributed by NEXT FILM (“Dial W for Murder”, “How I Became a Gangster. True Story”, “365 Days”, “Dolce Fine Giornata”). The film is directed by Kuba Michalczuk, a talented ad director – “In-laws” will be his first feature film. The screenplay has been written by Marek Modzelewski. The cinematographer is Michał Englert. The producer of the film is Michał Kwieciński, and the executive producer – Małgorzata Fogel Gabryś.

IN-LAWS

Premiering on: 10 September 2021

Cast: Maja Ostaszewska, Marcin Dorociński, Izabela Kuna, Adam Woronowicz

Director: Kuba Michalczuk

Screenplay: Marek Modzelewski

Cinematography: Michał Englert PSC

Set design and interior design: Marta Zając, Jakub Zwolak

Editing: Wojciech Włodarski PSM

Costumes: Katarzyna Lewińska

Make-up: Liliana Gałązka, Ludmiła Krawczyk

Sound: Błażej Kafarski

Executive producer: Małgorzata Fogel Gabryś

Producer:  Michał Kwieciński
Production: Akson Studio

Co-production: Next Film

Distribution: Next Film

Co-financing: Polish Film Institute

The film by Anna Kazejak titled “Fucking Bornholm” is being shot at the moment. The film’s main actors are Agnieszka Grochowska, Maciej Stuhr, Jaśmina Polak and Grzegorz Damięcki. Magnus Krepper will make a guest appearance. The project is going to be presented in the prestigious New Horizons’ Polish Days Goes to Cannes programme at the Marché du Film fair during the 74th Cannes Film Festival. We present the first photos from the film set.

“Fucking Bornholm” is a picture of the generation of today’s 40-year-olds, a contemporary comedy drama that touches upon the topic of identity in the times where all models known so far have become irrelevant.

A group of friends are taking their kids to a traditional long weekend getaway on the Danish island of Bornholm, just like they did for many years. An incident between the children will spark a new crisis in their relationship. Each couple seems happy, but are they really? Maybe they’re just keeping up appearances?

This is how the project is described by the director and co-writer, Anna Kazejak: – I believe that this is a tremendous opportunity to tell a universal, moving story about people struggling against their own nature and wrestling with the existing conventions. The film deals with responsibility for the children and for the “other half”. It is also very important that the tone of the film is light and, at times, humorous because we wanted this story to be told in the form of a mixture between drama and comedy instead of a sombre drama.

Marta Lewandowska, the producer of the film, adds: – The story shown in the film makes it easy for the audience to identify with the characters. Since it deals with family relations, which is something we are all familiar with, it allows the viewers to confront the events on the screen with their own experience. The film will show the consequences of failing to talk honestly with the people you care about the most.

In the words of the organisers of the New Horizons’ Polish Days Goes to Cannes programme: – The Goes to Cannes programme is intended for the most important festivals to show films of their choosing, which do not yet have any sales agents, distributors or specific festival premiere date, to the members of the international film industry.

The film is produced by Friends With Benefits Studio. Co-producers include TVN and Empik Go, which produced “Fucking Bornholm” in 2020 in the form of an audio show. Distribution in Poland: NEXT FILM.

The film is scheduled to premiere on the big screen in 2022.

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“Fucking Bornholm”

Cast: Agnieszka Grochowska, Maciej Stuhr, Jaśmina Polak, Grzegorz Damięcki, Magnus Krepper

Director: Anna Kazejak

Screenplay: Filip Kasperaszek, Anna Kazejak

Producer: Marta Lewandowska

Production:  Friends With Benefits Studio

Cinematography: Jakub Stolecki

Set design: Katarzyna Sobańska & Marcel Sławiński

Costumes: Dorota Roqueplo

Co-production: TVN, Empik Go

Distribution in Poland: Next Film

The film has been co-financed by the Polish Film Institute

Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes – the perfect investigators? In the comedy film “Dial W For Murder”, the perfect detective is actually two characters! One of them is Magda (Anna Smołowik), the girl next door, who knows all the rules of crime stories, and the other is Jacek (Paweł Domagała), a police commissioner who faints at the sight of blood. The story of their investigation starts with an earthquake and is followed by rising tension. The film directed by Piotr Mularek will have its premiere on the 18th of June. Today, we present you with a trailer of the film.

– “Dial W for Murder” is a colourful, old-school crime comedy. I play Magda, a perfect wife and a mother of two who lives in Podkowa Leśna. Magda cannot forget about a mysterious case that happened many years ago. When she accidentally discovers a body in the village, she starts to feel an urge to solve the mystery and put her world back together. Commissioner Sikora, portrayed by Paweł Domagala, starts an investigation to find the perpetrator. Our characters try to solve the case, each of them in their own individual way. They clash with each other as often as they support one another – says Anna Smołowik.

– Sikora is the boy next door who has spent his entire life in Podkowa. Everybody knows and likes him, but nobody treats him seriously – says Paweł Domagała about the character he plays. – It is a rare occasion for an actor to star in a genre film where he can play around with extravagant form. It is always a big adventure for an actor. I recommend “Dial W for Murder” to all people who want to watch a fun, intelligent, charming film – he adds.

In this engaging whodunnit comedy, you will get to see the top Polish actors. Along with Anna Smołowik and Paweł Domagała, the cast includes: Piotr Adamczyk, Rafał Królikowski, Dorota Segda, Szymon Bobrowski, Olga Sarzyńska, Przemysław Bluszcz, Przemysław Stippa, Jacek Knap, Emma Giegżno, Sandra Herbich and Jowita Budnik.

The director and co-writer of the film is Piotr Mularuk. “Dial W for Murder” is based on an eponymous novel by Katarzyna Gacek.  The author is also a co-writer of the film.

DIAL W FOR MURDER

Premiering on: 18 June 2021

 Peaceful life in a small village, Podkowa Leśna, is disrupted by a murder. The body of the victim, a young woman, is found by Magda, a housewife and crime novel enthusiast. The investigation is conducted by police commissioner Jacek Sikora. Unfortunately, he does not have the mind of a true detective, unlike Magda. When it turns out that the victim wore a “W”-shaped pendant that belonged to a long lost friend of Magda, she decides to solve the case on her own. And that means constantly interrupting the work of the incompetent commissioner. There are many suspects, but little evidence. The clues lead to the most prominent citizens of Podkowa and even to the sheikh of Qatar… Will Magda and commissioner Sikora uncover the truth and solve the mystery of the murder?

This summer, cinema-goers will get to see a bitter-sweet story about a modern family whose every member has to unexpectedly start their life all over again. “Black Sheep”, directed by Aleksander Pietrzak, is a warm and moving story in an innovative form – told from the point of view of a young youtuber. The film stars, among others, Arkadiusz Jakubik, Magdalena Popławska and Kamil Szeptycki!

“Black Sheep” is a warm and moving comedy drama about bonds that are impossible to break. The film tries to give a humorous answer to many important questions regarding family relations and growing up.

Magda (Magdalena Popławska) and Arek (Arkadiusz Jakubik) have been successfully married for 25 years, and they take care of a sick grandfather (Włodzimierz Press). They live with their son (Kamil Szeptycki), who has been in a long relationship with his girlfriend – Asia (Agata Różycka). It seems everything is fine – a typical family. But when you look closer…

Magda, a teacher in a catholic high school, is hiding from everyone the fact that she prefers women, Arek has not been able to find a job for a long time now, and Tomek, a popular youtuber, is motivated mainly by self-interest. The trouble starts when Magda, tired of living a secret life, decides to follow her heart and triggers a cascade of events. Asia breaks up with Tomek, the grandfather disappears, and Arek has problems with getting his life back on track. When troubles, conflicts and desires that have been repressed for many years finally explode, everybody starts to live their own life. Or at least they think they do… Will every character find their own path to happiness?

The film touches upon many topics, such as the choice between career and family, growing into the role of a father, the problems with finding yourself in a completely new life situation, but it mostly deals with the fact that when a child makes bonds, they last forever. Laughter and crying are the two most beautiful emotions. This is exactly what we get from a comedy drama and, hopefully, will also get from “Black Sheep” – says the director, Aleksander Pietrzak.

It is a universal story about growing up that everyone can identify with.  It humorously depicts the intergenerational differences, problems caused by miscommunication and the fear of showing your true feelings. We wanted to show the truth about a family and different moments in the life of a small community. Funny moments, but sometimes also sad and scary ones. When we were working on “Black Sheep”, we tried to keep the balance, which is essential for such genres as comedy drama or black comedy. After the really difficult experience that we all have been sharing for a year now, we are aware that people long for positive and warm emotions, and we are sure that Alek Pietrzak’s “Black Sheep” can evoke such emotions – says the producer, Anna Waśniewska-Gil.

The cast includes Arkadiusz Jakubik (“Silent Night”, “The King of Warsaw”), Magdalena Popławska (“Prime Time”, “Usta, usta”), Kamil Szeptycki (“Stones for the Rampart”), Agata Różycka (“39 and Half Weeks”), Włodzimierz Press (“Four Tank-Men and a Dog”), Anna Cieślak (“Szadź”) i Anna Smołowik (“Dial W for Murder”, “Letters to M. 4”).

“Black Sheep” was produced by the TVN Discovery Group and distributed by NEXT FILM. The film’s screenwriter is Bartosz Kozera (“Pod powierzchnią”), the director – Aleksander Pietrzak (“Juliusz”, “Strong Coffee Isn’t That Bad”), cinematographer – Mateusz Pastewka (“Juliusz”), production manager – Krzysztof Łojan (“25 Years of Innocence”). The film’s producer is Anna Waśniewska-Gil (“25 Years of Innocence. The Case of Tomek Komenda”), and the executive producer is Rafał Ulicki.

“Black Sheep” will be in cinemas all over Poland this summer, and at the end of the year, it will debut on the player.pl platform!

“Dial W for Murder” (dir. Piotr Mularuk) is a brilliant crime comedy with an investigation story in the style of Agatha Christie. In cinemas since 18 June. The cast includes, among others: Anna Smołowik, Paweł Domagała, Piotr Adamczyk, Rafał Królikowski, Dorota Segda, Szymon Bobrowski, Przemysław Bluszcz, Olga Sarzyńska and Jowita Budnik. Today, we present you with the official film poster and behind-the-scenes footage.

See how the poster was created

Peaceful life in a small village, Podkowa Leśna, is disrupted by a murder. The body of the victim, a young woman, is found by Magda, a housewife and crime novel enthusiast. The investigation is conducted by police commissioner Jacek Sikora. Unfortunately, he does not have the mind of a true detective, unlike Magda. When it turns out that the victim wore a “W”-shaped pendant that belonged to a long lost friend of Magda, she decides to solve the case on her own. And that means constantly interrupting the work of the incompetent commissioner. There are many suspects, but little evidence. The clues lead to the most prominent citizens of Podkowa and even to the sheikh of Qatar… Will Magda and commissioner Sikora uncover the truth and solve the mystery of the murder?

“Dial W for Murder” stars top Polish actors. The role of the main character, Magda, was played by Anna Smołowik and the role of commissioner Sikora – by Paweł Domagała. Other cast includes: Piotr Adamczyk, Rafał Królikowski, Dorota Segda, Szymon Bobrowski, Olga Sarzyńska, Przemysław Bluszcz, Przemysław Stippa, Jacek Knap, Emma Giegżno, Sandra Herbich and Jowita Budnik.

The director and co-writer of the film is Piotr Mularuk. “Dial W for Murder” is based on an eponymous novel by Katarzyna Gacek.  The author is also a co-writer of the film.

– “Dial W for Murder” has a title with a twist, an intriguing criminal mystery and characters you cannot help but fall in love with. It is also funny and witty. Piotr Mularuk transformed
my book into a charming, pleasant and intelligent film. I could have never imagined a better adaptation. I highly recommend it! – says the author of the book and co-writer of the film.

Co-financing:

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DIAL W FOR MURDER

Premiering on: 18 June 2021

Cast:  Anna Smołowik, Paweł Domagała, Przemysław Stippa, Jacek Knap, Olga Sarzyńska, Rafał Królikowski, Dorota Segda, Szymon Bobrowski, Piotr Adamczyk, Emma Giegżno, Sandra Herbich, Przemysław Bluszcz, Jowita Budnik

Director: Piotr Mularuk

Screenplay: Katarzyna Gacek, Piotr Mularuk

Cinematography: Adam Bajerski

Executive producer: Agnieszka Sieradzka

Set design: Natalia Giza

Editing: Agnieszka Glińska

Costumes: Dorota Roqueplo

Make-up: Marta Tesche-Klimek

Sound: Miłosz Jaroszek

Soundtrack: Jan P. Muchow

Producers: Piotr Mularuk, Agnieszka Sieradzka
Production: Yeti Films

Co-production: Kino Polska, Black Photon, Rosco Polska, Dreamsound

Partners: Podkowa Leśna Town Hall, ATM System, Panek

Co-financing: Polish Film Institute
Distribution: Next Film

BEST FILM MUSIC BY NEXT FILM AVAILABLE ON STREAMING PLATFORMS!

From jazz through rock to rap. Tearjerkers and rhythms that will compel you to dance. The “NEXT FILM – The Best Of” list of film music is available on streaming platforms. The playlist features immensely popular and awarded artists: Michele

Morrone, Muniek Staszczyk, Ania Karwan, Fisz Emade Tworzywo, Daria Zawiałow, Kortez, Organek, O.S.T.R. and Natalia Szroeder.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PLAYLIST

NEXT FILM productions are a feast both for the eyes and ears. The “NEXT FILM – The Best Of” playlist includes fifteen film tracks that will stay in your head long after you leave the cinema. You will hear songs from soundtracks to films such as “The Coldest Game”, “The Butler” or “365 Days”. The total number of hits for videos to the songs on YouTube has reached almost 84 million!

The “NEXT FILM – The Best Of” list of film music is available on Spotify, Tidal and Deezer.

BreakThru Films, the animation studio behind the Oscar® nominated ‘Loving Vincent’ and Oscar® winning ‘Peter & The Wolf’ has commenced principal photography on their new film ‘The Peasants’ based upon the Nobel Prize-winning novel by Wladyslaw Reymont. The film will be directed by Oscar® nominated director Dorota Kobiela and will be produced in the same painting technique as her previous film ‘Loving Vincent’. Today the studio dropped the concept teaser for the new movie, which once again brings paintings to life to tell a powerful emotional story.

’The Peasants’ is a tragic story of a peasant girl Jagna forced to marry a much older, wealthy farmer Boryna, despite her love for his son Antek. With time, Jagna becomes the object of envy and hate of the villagers and has to fight to preserve her independence. Set in the Polish countryside on the cusp of the 19th and 20th Centuries, the story’s dramatic turns tie into the changing seasons, hard labour in the fields and traditional local holidays.

After years of working on a film about Vincent van Gogh I felt a strong need to tell a story about women: to show their struggles and their passion and their strength.  – says Dorota Kobiela, the screenwriter and director of the movie.

‘The Peasants’ will be produced by Breaktru’s Sean Bobbitt and Hugh Welchman, who also co-wrote the script. The movie will use the same painting technique that won the hearts of fans around the world with ‘Loving Vincent’, which was also nominated for the Golden Globe and BAFTA and made $52m at the global box office. It is the most successful Polish film of all time at the international box office.

Initially, we will shoot the movie with actors, and then paint each frame as a separate oil painting.  More than sixty painters will work in three studios to complete the 79,000 frames making up the film. – explains Tomasz Wochniak, line producer at BreakThru Films.

The epic novel of Wladyslaw Reymont will be brought to life using the popular realist and pre-impressionist paintings from the 19th Century, with an emphasis on the Young Poland Movement and the works of such artists as Józef Chełmoński, Ferdynand Ruszczyc and Leon Wyczółkowski. The team feels that this style perfectly reflects the spirit of the book.

The film’s premiere is planned for late 2022. World sales for the movie are handled by Jan Naszewski’s New Europe Film Sales, responsible for the international success of movies, such as Oscar® nominated Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa and Cannes-winning ‘Rams’ by Grimur Hakonarsson and Valdimar Johansson’s upcoming ‘Lamb’ starring Noomi Rapace. The company will be preselling the film at the market in Toronto.

www.thepeasantsmovie.com

www.facebook.com/thepeasantsmovie

www.instagram.com/thepeasantsmovie

The Screenwriter and The Director – Dorota Kobiela

A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Dorota Kobiela was awarded the Minister of Culture scholarship for special achievements in painting and graphics. Simultaneously with attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, she joined the Warsaw Film School, Directorial Faculty in 2004.

Dorota Kobiela is the originator, writer, director and editor of the movie ‘Loving Vincent’; the world’s first and only fully painted feature film, hand painted by over 100 oil-painting animators. ‘Loving Vincent’ won Best Animation Feature Film at the European Film Award, the 20th International Shanghai Film Festival, and over 40 other awards around the world. The film was nominated for an Oscar®, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA and made $52m at the global box office. It is the most successful Polish film of all time at the international box office. Dorota is a member of the American, European and Polish Film Academy. She works at the art commission of the Polish Film Institute. She has been professionally associated with the studio Breakthru Films for 10 years.

The Producer – BreakThru Films studio

The Peasants’ is being produced by Breakthru Films (Poland). Founded by Hugh Welchman, BreakThru Films is a prize-winning film and animation production company, based in Gdansk, with offices in Lodz, Warsaw and London. BreakThru established its reputation with its slate of prize-winning shorts which have collected over twenty international awards & nominations, including two BAFTA nominations, an official selection at Cannes, the Annecy Cristal and Annecy Audience awards, Canal+ Prize, TCM prize, the Rose D’ Or as well as an Oscar for Best Short Animation Film for ‘Peter & The Wolf’.

The latest production of the studio – ‘Loving Vincent’ won worldwide success and picked up 24 Audience Awards at film festivals, including the coveted Annecy Cristal at the world’s biggest animation festival, and was nominated as best feature animation in the world’s most prestigious award events including The Oscars and the Golden Globes.

Breakthru Films – Hugh Welchman (Producer/Co-Writer)

A graduate of Oxford University, the UK’s National Film and Television School, Hugh has produced 16 short films and two feature films for his company Breakthru Films, winning over 60 prizes at international festivals, including the 2008 Best Short Animation Oscar for ‘Peter and the Wolf’ and European Film Award for ‘Loving Vincent’.

Do you miss the analogue years of the 1990s? Do polyamide raincoats, “short hair in the front and long hair in the back” hairstyle and smart cameras with flash bring tears in your eyes? Today, thanks to the upcoming release of “How I Became a Gangster. True Story” (on 3rd January), directed by Maciej Kawulski, we will present you with a kind of back to the past.

Tracksuits, patterned shirts, leather jackets, low-life locations and a plenty of blood. See the photos on which Marcin Kowalczyk, Natalia Szroeder, Natalia Siwiec, Tomasz Włosok, Adam Woronowicz, Jan Frycz and Janusz Chabior are portrayed as the Polish mafia people while their women are dressed in outfits which would delight every enthusiast of fashion recycling. Paweł Jaszczuk is responsible for the cinematography.

“How I Became a Gangster. True Story” is a novelty in the Polish motion picture industry – a gangster ballad seasoned with a plenty of humour – according to the leading actor, Marcin Kowalczyk. The production, which will change the popular view of Polish mafia, is the second film by Maciej Kawulski, whose debuting “Underdog” attracted over 900 thousand viewers.

“I watched “Alfabet mafii” when I was in the middle school and the only thing I remember is that “where Rules have their end, Pruszków begins”. I remember “Pershing” dancing in a flowery shirt at some disco club. And this is how I perceived Polish mafia of the 1990s, the splendour, those colourful shirts – this flowery ruthlessness. This is how I perceived it. At first, I had difficulties seeing myself as a gangster, especially as I am far from the image of a person who can be feared. However, Maciej Kawulski kept saying that the best gangsters were not the ones who were beating the hell out of others, but those who were not afraid to take the beating and who always got up. They were ruthless, brutal and did not hesitate to use their guns. Those were ordinary young men who would rather not be able to scare anyone in the street,” says Tomasz Włosok, or Walden, the main character’s best friend.

“How I Became a Gangster. True Story” is a film about friendship and love in the times when letting your emotions take over may be fatal. Only two people really matter in the life of our protagonist – his best friend and his beloved woman, while his business is ruled by violence. The film’s plot begins in the 1970s – this is the time when the young protagonist already knows that adrenaline tastes better than milk powder. With time, he also discovers that what he desires most is money, power and being above the law. His transformation begins and his gangster talent flourishes. Together with his friend, he builds his own army. Based on a true story, it shows for the first time the true face of Polish mafia people: they started it dressed in cheap tracksuits and established a criminal organisation, which, for some time, ruled the entire state. However, the end of the story is not marked by bullets and blood – sometimes words can hurt more than a bullet, while love and friendship can be the cure, even in the most cruel hands.

The official soundtrack includes such songs as: “Ołów” by Muniek Staszczyk, ”Jak zostałem gangsterem. Historia prawdziwa” performed by Tymek ft. Kasta and ”Mitoman” by Malik Montana.

The leading role in the film “How I Became a Gangster. True Story”is played by Marcin Kowalczyk (“Jesteś Bogiem”, “Hardkor Disco”). He is co-starred by Tomasz Włosok, playing the closest friend Walden, and Natalia Szroeder as Magda, the beloved woman of the protagonist. This is the big screen debut for the singer, well-known in the phonographic industry. Also featuring Natalia Siwiec, Józef Pawłowski, Mateusz Nędza, Waldemar Kasta, Piotr Rogucki, Anna Krotoska and such recognised stars of the motion picture industry as Jan Frycz, Janusz Chabior and Adam Woronowicz.

The film is produced by OPEN MIND PRODUCTION SP. Z O.O. SK Maciej Kawulski, Tomasz Wardyn. Distribution: NEXT FILM/Mówi Serwis.

The book entitled “How I Became a Gangster” is already available in the bookstores – this is not a profit-focused “confession” of a repentant thug. This time, the anonymous gangster who has no intention of retiring, whatsoever, reveals the secrets of his profession during the interview with Krzysztof Gureczny, overwhelming his interlocutor with the brutality of the details. The reader will get an updated image of the mafia world seasoned with anecdotes from this “industry” and an original sense of humour.

The film “365 Days” will be released on 7th February, 2020. Today, we are presenting the leading actors! Laura Biel will be played by Anna-Maria Sieklucka, debuting on the big screen, and Michele Morrone, an Italian film star, will play Massimo Torricelli.

On 4th December, in Warsaw, there was a press conference about the first Polish erotic film “365 Days”, a production based on the best-selling novel by Blanka Lipińska. The film’s cast and the filmmakers were presented to the numerous stars and journalists attending the event.

“The genius of Blanka Lipińska and Tomek Mandes is that they managed to bring everything that the book contains to the screen, namely all this eroticism and passion between Laura and Massimo,” explains Michele Morrone playing Massimo.

“The biggest surprise while working on this film was related to the emotions inside me, which I had to bring out. One of the most difficult experiences was to overcome shyness and to show the nudity we will see on the screen,” says Anna-Maria Sieklucka, the leading actress playing Laura Biel.

Apart from the hottest acting duo of the year – the talented Polish actress and the handsome Italian, the conference was also attended by: Tomasz Stockinger (Laura’s father), Magdalena Lamparska (Olga), Natasza Urbańska (Anna), Natalia Janoszek (Karolina), and Otar Saralidze (Domenico). And, last but not least, the person behind all this fuss, the author of the bestseller “365 Days” – Blanka Lipińska. The event was hosted by Michał Piróg.

“365 Days” is the first Polish erotic film. This not just another romantic comedy, but a story about lust and desires. Massimo Torricelli, a young and handsome boss of Sicilian Mafia family has no other option but to take over after his father has been assassinated. Laura Biel is a sales director in a luxurious hotel. She has a successful career, but her private life lacks passion. She is taking one last shot to save her relationship. Together with her partner and friends, she takes a flight to Sicily. Laura does not expect that Massimo, the most dangerous man on the island, will get in her way, kidnap her, hold her captive and give her 365 days… to fall in love with him.

The film “365 Days”, a production unlike anything we have ever seen before in Polish cinematography, will be released on 7th February, 2020. Producers: Ewa Lewandowska, Tomasz Mandes – EKIPA. Co-production: TVN S.A., NEXT FILM, FUTURE SPACE. Distribution: NEXT FILM.