Corporate
January 25, 2010
Warner Bros. Entertainment Polska Enters Into Multi-Year First Look Deal With Andrzej Saramonowicz And San Graal
(January 25, 2010 – Warsaw, Poland) - Warner Bros. Entertainment Polska has entered into an extensive production and distribution deal with renowned Polish film maker, Andrzej Saramonowicz and his production company San Graal. As a result of this deal, the partners have agreed to collaborate on at least two new Polish-language films in 2010 and 2011. These films will be written and produced by Saramonowicz and San Graal. Warner Bros. Pictures International will hold worldwide distribution rights.
This partnership is part of Warner Bros. Entertainment’s highly successful local language production business, with involvement in over 230 films in 10 major markets, since its operations began in 1999.
“Andrzej Saramonowicz is an outstandingly talented writer, director and producer, and we are delighted to be entering this partnership with him and with his production company San Graal to make films together in Poland and across central and eastern Europe. We look forward to offering support and collaboration on a range of exciting projects developed by Andrzej Saramonowicz which will support the local film economy and make an important contribution to Polish culture,” said Richard J Fox, Executive Vice President, International, Warner Bros. Entertainment.
“We are excited and proud to be working with Andrzej Saramonowicz, with his exceptional insight into the Polish film market and outstanding track of success in capturing the imagination of audiences not only in Poland but right across the region. By bringing together his creativity, the production capabilities of San Graal with Warner Bros. Entertainment Polska, marketing and distribution network, I am confident that this partnership will create a significant impact in the film industry in Poland,” said Waldemar Saniewski, Managing Director, Warner Bros. Entertainment Polska.
“Warner Bros. is an icon of the world film industry. I find it an extraordinary distinction to cooperate with such an outstanding brand, one that has cooperated and still cooperates with the most distinguished cinema figures. For me, it is also a confirmation that the risky road I took at the beginning of my career — making ambitious films for the wider public — has proved to be right. With such an experienced partner and guide, from now on I will start to go down this road with more confidence. I am also deeply convinced that the cooperation of Warner Bros. Entertainment Polska and San Graal will result in films that the Polish audience will consider valuable and films that Polish viewers will come to love,” said Andrzej Saramonowicz, screenwriter, director, producer and President of the Management Board at San Graal.
"This partnership with Andrzej Saramanowicz is an important part of Warner Bros.’ local language production strategy in Poland and across the whole of central and Eastern Europe. It reflects a strong shared ambition to create and distribute films across Poland that are able to combine strong artistic value, critical recognition and commercial success," said Adam Smith, Senior Vice President, Business Affairs, Europe, Middle East & Asia Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures International.
In 2008, Andrzej Saramonowicz, had a huge hit as scriptwriter and producer of “Lejdis,” the most popular Polish comedy since 1989, with more than 2.5 million admissions and was awarded the title of the best film of 2008 in a poll organized by Film magazine. This followed his hit script for the hit film "Testosteron," released in 2002. In 2007, this film won him the Amber Lions Award at the XXXII Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, given in recognition of the most commercially successful Polish feature film, 2006-2007, with 1.4 million admissions. He began his film career with "Pól serio" (Half-serious), released at the XXV Polish Film Festival in Gdynia in 2000, where he won the Jury Special Prize for its script. In 2003, the film "Cialo" (Body), for which he wrote the script, and which he co-directed, was recognized as the best Polish film in 2003 in the vote organized by Film. The last movie based on Andrzej Saramonowicz script (directed by Tomasz Konecki) was “Idelany facet dla mojej dziewczyny” (2009), which was seen by almost 700,000. The film received the Best European Film Award at the Seventh European Comedy Film Festival in Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic). In March 2009 Andrzej Saramonowicz set up his own production company: San Graal Sp. z o.o. # # #