New distrib plans Walesa release

Ambitious young UK distribution outfit Project London Films Ltd. is planning a 45-site release for Andrzej Wajda’s new feature Walesa, Man Of Hope (out in UK cinemas on Oct 18).

Former Polish President Walesa will be in London next week for the film’s BFI London Film Festival screening. Robert Wieckiewicz (who plays Walesa) is also due in London for the LFF premiere of the film, recently chosen as Poland’s Oscar entry.

Project London, run by Managing Director Pawel Jodlowski and Business Development Director Mariusz Muskietorz, releases films targeted at the UK’s sizable Polish population.

The distributors have come up with an ingenious marketing campaign for the Walesa movie. They have joined forces with Polish Village Bread, the renowned UK-based Polish bread, pastry and cake company. In the week of the release of the film, all loaves of Polish Village Bread will have advertising for the film on their packaging.

“Bread for Polish people is very important and we are thinking that all Polish families will find this bread on the table,” a spokesperson for Polish Village Bakery commented. The film packaging is expected to appear on 100,000 loaves, sold in about 200 shops in London.

Project London has booked the film into Cineworld and Omniplex sites in the UK and Ireland. Jodlowski said the company will collaborate with Metrodome on the DVD and VOD release of the film.

“We’ve got the chance now to bring Polish movies not only to the Polish audience but we can attract the English (speaking) audience as well,” Muskietorz stated.

Other Project London releases have included wartime thriller Hans Kloss and Leszek Dawid’s You Are God, about a Polish rap crew. The latter title was a big box office success for Project London, racking up more than 50,000 admissions.

Project London acquired Walesa from producers Akson Studio. The film marks the concluding part of Andrzej Wajda’s trilogy that also includes Man Of Marble (1976) and Man Of Iron (1981). It is expected to be the legendary Polish auteur’s final film. It is yet to be confirmed whether Wajda, now 87, will make it to the UK for the LFF screenings.