Machulski and Bromski's Zebra plans several new comedies

The Polish production company will shortly be beginning work on nostalgic comedy, One Small Step For Man (working title), to be directed and produced by Jacek Bromski. Set in July 1969, the story is about young people living in the provinces of southern Poland just at the time that US astronaut Neil Armstrong is making his moon landing. One youngster is about to sign up for his military service. His older brother is determined to ensure he loses his virginity before he enrolls. 

“Basically, it (the film) is to show the young people (in Poland) now how life really was during the communist times,” Bromski (in London this week for the Kinoteka screening of his film Entanglement) told ScreenDaily.

The $2m movie is being made with support of the Polish Film Institute and some regional funds.

Zebra is also preparing a new comedy from writer-director Juliusz Machulski. The currently untitled back-to-the-future story about a couple living in a haunted apartment block. Every time they go to the second floor, they are whisked back to Nazi-occupied Warsaw.

A third new feature, also yet to be titled, is a drama about Krakow’s notoriously nationalistic and violent football fans.

In Darkness, which was released in Poland prior to the Oscars by Kino Swiat, posted over a million admissions.

Entanglement, based on the novel by Zygmunt Miloszewski, is a thriller about a young female prosecutor and a cop investigating a murder. The killing, they soon discover, is linked to the activities of the communist era secret police. 

Zebra was launched by Machulski and Bromski. 

Last year, Bromski was re-elected as President of the Polish Filmmakers Association, a job that he has held since 1996. Poland’s largest organisation of film professionals, PLA (which has 1,700 members) is currently campaigning strongly against piracy. It is also involved in copyright management and collection.