Around the end of May, the viewers of the biggest Polish TV channel – TVP1 will see a fantasy drama film based on the novel by Sofia Andrukhovych.
On the 23rd of May, at 21:25, the premiere Polish broadcast of Felix Austria, aka Maid-in-law, based on the bestselling novel by Sofia Andrukhovych, is going to happen on TVP1. Last June, it became available in Poland VOD-services Canal+, Player.pl, vod.pl, and CDAin, and now it’s airing there on one of the most popular TV channels.
It’s worth noting that polish actors feature prominently in this film, like Marianna Januszewicz playing one of the lead roles – maid Stefa and Sebastian Cybulsky, playing a part of a famous illusionist Ernest Torn.
The Ukrainian Theatrical premiere of Felix Austria happened in January 2020, and the digital release in March. The first appearance of the film on Ukrainian TV happened on Ukrainian Independence Day – August 24.
“We are always happy whenever Ukrainian films become available to Polish viewers, and it’s even more pleasant to present a project with a significant Polish involvement, like Felix Austria that has wonderful polish actors in its cast. Almost two years ago on the very same TVP channel. Our TV series Love in Chains has become a major hit and made quite a few records. We hope that Felix Austria is going to appease the Polish audience just as much,” – comments Evgeniy Drachov, International Sales Manager at FILM.UA Distribution.
“While Felix Austria isn’t a co-production, it still has a strong connection to Poland – in its setting, characters, and, of course, the cast. That’s why it is so important for us to expose the film to the widest possible audience there. We are incredibly grateful to TVP1 – the premier Polish TV channel, for featuring it as a film of the weak in primetime,” – says Nadiia Zaionchkovska, the producer of the film.
FYI
Synopsis: The story starts in Stanislaviv (currently Ivano-Frankivsk) in the second half of the 19th century. Doctor Anger loses his wife in the fire but manages to rescue two girls: his own daughter Adelya and the daughter of housekeepers Stefania. In a moment of despair, the doctor decides to bring them up together.
25 years pass. The girls have grown up and are still inseparable though Adelya is now married. As for Stefa, she tends to the house and drowns her passion in cooking. But they still don’t understand who they are to each other: sisters and friends or a maid and a mistress. In the kaleidoscope of love and jealousy, double-entendres, and secrets the boundary between reality and fiction disappears altogether. Elegant outfits, sophisticated dishes, and endless promenades… What will happen when the illusion will start dispelling and reality will come into the foreground instead?
Project producer: Nadia Zayonchkovska
Screenwriters: Alina Semeryakova in collaboration with Sofia Andrukhovych
Director: Khrystyna Syvolap
DOP: Oleksiy Lamakh
Art director: Oleksandr Batenev
Costume designer: Lesya Patoka
Makeup artist: Maria Kolomiyets
Casting director: Alla Samoylenko
Cast: Marianna Januszewicz, Alesya Romanova, Roman Lutsky, Oleksandr Kobzar, Sergiy Volosovets, Ada Rogovtseva, Kateryna Kukhar, Yevhen Yanovych, Natalya Vasko, Irma Vitovska, Vazha Goderdzishvili, Sebastian Cybulsky, Yasin Faradzhallakh, Maryna Koshkina.
Produced by: FILM.UA Production with the support of Ukrainian Government and Ministry of Culture
