Poland’s Kino Polska TV Launches Production Arm

SPI International affiliate Kino Polska TV has established a production arm, aimed at delivering big-budget Polish and international blockbusters, along with TV productions that celebrate the traditions and history of Poland.

Loni Farhi, president of SPI International, said: “Poland is a country with a rich history and culture, and we have all these incredibly talented people around us. SPI and Kino Polska TV saw an opportunity to utilize this pool of creative talent to start a brand new venture in Poland. Our production arm is ready to create, develop and distribute movies that will have local success in mind. We are also planning to bring in international talent where we see fit and bring certain projects to life that will appeal not only to the Polish audience but also to a wider international audience.”

“We choose projects very carefully. We focus on stories that have both local value and the potential to reach a wider audience through universal themes and relatable characters,” said Dorota Zwierzchowska, head of content at Kino Polska TV. “We are delighted to be able to provide a platform that prioritizes freedom of expression for talented creators, which we believe is the key to producing successful content.”

SPI International has partnered with director, writer and producer Philippe Martinez as co-producer of special projects in Poland. Martinez commented: “We have big plans for 2020 and beyond. My favorite part of working with Loni and Bogusław, and the team at SPI and Kino Polska TV is that they think big! We are going to create local jobs, hire local talent, and bring in all the right people to develop and produce blockbuster movies of the highest quality. These will be movies we can all be proud of.”

Kino Polska TV will be involved in several local TV productions and feature movie projects in the coming years. “All major TV stations in the Polish market have their own creations as a fundamental element of their competitiveness,” said Bogusław Kisielewski, president of the management board of Kino Polska TV. “I am confident that international cooperation with such experienced people as Philippe and Loni will maximize our potential for further growth and increase our viewership. The incentive mechanisms that have been created for producers in Poland this year, along with access to great actors, operators, production managers, and the entire back office, will definitely increase the chances of success in this area.”

Kino Polska TV has already lined up five feature film projects for 2020. One of the first productions to come out of this new venture is a comedy entitled Over My Dead Body (Po moim trupie), directed by Tomasz Konecki and co-produced with Krzysztof Szpetmański. It will star Rafał Zawierucha (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Production for the movie will begin in mid-2020, and the film is expected to premiere in Polish cinemas in January or February of 2021. The movie will be distributed by Galapagos Films.