Poland’s largest Broadcaster TVP has announced the two series leading its MIPTV slate, heartwarming comedy drama revolving around the Russia-Ukraine war We Shall Live Together and Matylda, a drama set against the backdrop of Poland’s 19th Century the January Uprising.
With both series set in times of political turbulence, TVP’s slate showcases series revolving around the importance of working together and change for the better.
We Shall Live Together (6 x 45’) is the first series produced in Poland that is set during the ongoing Ukrainian war. When the war in Ukraine broke out, Poland in particular was swept by an extraordinary wave of solidary and Polish people were eager to help out in any possible way. The series follows Polish couple Basia and Tadeusz, who live in the huge house of their wealthy mother and mother-in-law Magda Lipińska. When Basia and Tadeusz allow two refugees from Ukraine to stay in Magda’s house, it turns their world upside down. Although Magda unwillingly lets them stay just to keep up appearances, this unexpected situation creates numerous comedic but also touching moments. While not focusing on the brutality of war, We Shall Live Together focuses on its consequences in ordinary peoples’ lives.
Starring in the series are Lena Górna, winner of the Golden Lion Award at the Polish Film Festival 2023, and Oksana Czerkaszyna, star of 2023’s Ukrainian Oscar candidate Klondike. It is directed by Anna Maliszewska (Infamia, Dad) and Tadeusz Łysiak, the director of the Oscar-nominated The Dress.
Matylda (13 x 45’) is a story about a young rebel, the daughter of a participant in Poland’s 1863 January Uprising, a guerilla war that influenced the history of Poland as we know it today. The action of the series takes place in the Lublin region dozens of years after the Uprising. The title character, 17-year-old Matylda Bilińska, is the daughter of an insurgent, a wealthy landowner exiled to Siberia. Matylda is a restless soul, curious about the world, who is not satisfied with the teachings instilled in the girls at her boarding school. Her rebellious nature means that she has to seek help from her immediate family in a beautiful estate in the countryside. There she will experience her first love, discover the truth about her loved ones and learn to live on her own terms. Above all, however, she will come face to face with a deadly enemy.
Matylda is a saga of passion, the heroic struggle of good against evil, betrayal, revenge and reparation. In the background, major historical events of those times take place – the emancipation of women, collaboration with the invader, and economic emigration. The series marks another of TVP’s period drama slate.
Both series were produced by Telewizja Polska S.A. We Shall Live Together was executive produced by MTL Maxfilm and Matylda executive produced by Delord Sp. z.o.o.
Urszula Suszko, Head of International Sales, TVP, says “These two series have incredibly high production value, and are two unique stories with relatable characters. Matylda is part of our ongoing development of period drama that reflects Poland’s rich history, and We Shall Live Together is like a piece of modern history, reflecting Poland’s ties with Ukraine and its people. We know these two series will stand out at MIPTV, and suit audiences all over the world.”
