David Farnor | On 10, Nov 2018

“Your people are a nation of sleep. They need a lion.” That’s the sound of a rebellion brewing in 1983, Netflix’s new Polish original series.

The conspiracy thriller pitches itself somewhere between The Man in the High Castle and Goodbye Lenin!, introducing us to a dystopian world where the Iron Curtain never fell and Poland is the centre of the universe shaping the future of the entire world.

20 years after a devastating terrorist attack in 1983 that halted the course of Poland’s liberation, and the subsequent downfall of the Soviet Union, an idealistic law student Kajetan (Maciej Musiał) and a disgraced police investigator Anatol (Robert Więckiewicz) stumble upon the secret that has kept the Iron Curtain standing and Poland living under a repressive police state. Now, in 2003, after two decades of peace and prosperity, the leaders of the regime enact a secret plan made with an unlikely adversary in the 1980s that will radically transform Poland and affect the lives of every citizen in the nation — and the world. What these two men discover has the potential to ignite a revolution and those in power will stop at nothing to keep it a secret.

The series premieres all-at-once on Friday 30th November. Here’s the trailer:

 

1983 is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Netflix’s The Man in the High Castle? First trailer lands for 1983

6th October 2018

What if your history was built on a lie? That’s the starting point for 1983, Netflix’s first Polish original series.

The conspiracy thriller is directed by four prominent Polish directors – Kasia Adamik, Olga Chajdas, Agnieszka Holland and Agnieszka Smoczyńska – and tells the story of a dystopian world where the Iron Curtain never fell and Poland is the center of the universe shaping the future of the entire world.

20 years after a devastating terrorist attack in 1983 that halted the course of Poland’s liberation and the subsequent downfall of the Soviet Union, an idealistic law student Kajetan (Maciej Musiał) and a disgraced police investigator Anatol (Robert Więckiewicz) stumble upon a conspiracy that has kept the Iron Curtain standing and Poland living under a repressive police state. Now, in 2003, after two decades of peace and prosperity, the leaders of the regime enact a secret plan made with an unlikely adversary in the 1980s that will radically transform Poland and affect the lives of every citizen in the nation — and the world. What these two men discover has the potential to ignite a revolution and those in power will stop at nothing to keep it a secret.

The alt-history series, which sounds like Netflix’s answer to The Man in the High Castle, stars Michalina Olszańska, Zofia Wichłacz, Andrzej Chyra and Krzysztof Wach, with a supporting cast that includes Ewa Błaszczyk, Edyta Olszówka, Patrycja Volny, Agnieszka Żulewska, Wojciech Kalarus, Mateusz Kościukiewicz and Mirosław Zbrojewicz.

The series premieres on Friday 30th November. Here’s the first teaser:

 

1983: Production begins on Netflix’s first Polish original

8th March 2018

Production is now underway on Netflix’s first Polish original series, 1983.

Directed by Academy Award®-Nominee Agnieszka Holland, the eight-episode series features Robert Więckiewicz and Maciej Musiał as a disgraced police investigator and an idealistic law student, who stumble upon a conspiracy that changed the course of the nation and kept the Iron Curtain standing.

The series was created and written by Joshua Long and will be produced for Netflix by The Kennedy/Marshall Company and The House Media Company. Frank Marshall (Jurassic World, Jason Bourne) and Robert Zotnowski (House of Cards) will be Executive Producers on the series for The Kennedy/Marshall Company, along with Polish producer Andrzej Besztak (House Media), Joshua Long, Maciej Musiał and Agnieszka Holland.

Holland will be joined at the helm by Kasia Adamik, Olga Chajdas and Agnieszka Smoczynsk, with Tomasz Naumiuk and Arkadiusz Tomiak on cinematography duties. Anna Anosowicz is responsible for Production Design and Katarzyna Lewińska for Costume Design. The composer on the series is Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz. In front of the camera, the impressive Polish cast also includes Michalina Olszańska, Andrzej Chyra, Zofia Wichłacz, Mirosław Zbrojewicz, Ewa Błaszczyk, Wojciech Kalarus, Edyta Olszówka and Agnieszka Żulewska.

“We have fantastic actors, directors, cinematographers, designers, composers and very skilled crews in Poland. I am sure that we will be able to add something very valuable to the Netflix original series family.” says Holland.

Marshall adds: “This story has many complex layers: it’s high adventure, a crime story, and a spy thriller, with fascinating characters that will keep you coming back to see what happens next, like all great Netflix series.”

“We are very excited to bring this gripping alternate history thriller with such an amazing Polish cast to life and to continue the successful collaboration with Oscar®-Nominee Agnieszka Holland and her great team.” comments Erik Barmack, Vice President of International Original Series at Netflix. “I’m confident that 1983 will not only attract Polish viewers, but Netflix members around the world.”

1983 will be shot in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Lublin, and Silesia, and is expected to premiere on Netflix later this year.

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