As the first CEE TV and event in June, Content Warsaw started its 2024 edition yesterday with a line-up of conference sessions featuring major streaming platforms SkyShowtime and Netflix presenting their strategies for the region.
SkyShowtime’s local focus
SkyShowtime‘s Chief Content Officer, Kai Finke, announced the platform’s next original series in Poland, titled Langer. This thriller, adapted from Remigiusz Mróz‘s novel, stars Jakub Gierszał (Suicide Room) and is produced by Violetta Furmaniuk-Zaorska (The Behaviorist, The Disappearance) with direction by Łukasz Palkowski (Bogowie, Breaking the Limits, The Disappearance).
Langer, a six-episode series, follows the life of a young and ambitious entrepreneur who inherits his father’s financial firm while secretly living a double life as a serial killer who has evaded police capture for years. This series marks SkyShowtime’s second Polish project announced in recent months, following Śleboda, which began filming in April.
Finke also highlighted that local content will be a ‘cornerstone’ of SkyShowtime’s strategy moving forward, emphasizing both production and acquisitions. He stated that the platform is ‘seeking content that is mainstream yet bold, with the potential to resonate internationally, sustain multiple seasons, and operate within realistic budgets’.
‘Leveraging strengths, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, where there’s a deep tradition of storytelling around crime, is crucial. We are forging alliances with teams experienced in these genres, targeting adult audiences with crime dramas and comedies’, said the executive. ‘We are open to more true crime or personality documentaries, such as Schmeichel. We’re also monitoring the success of Comcast’s reality streamer, Hayu, to potentially expand into similar areas based on audience feedback’.
Netflix’s commitment to CEE
Netflix‘s keynote, led by Michael Azzolino, VP of Content for CEE, Benelux, and Turkey, and Łukasz Kłuskiewicz, Director of Films and Acquisitions for CEE, showcased the first images of their series Heweliusz, based on the real-life ferry accident in 1993, and the film Bokser/Boxer, starring Eryk Kulm Jr. The speakers underscored Netflix’s enduring commitment to the region.
‘Netflix is here to stay. We aim to invest in local content and support the local community in bringing great stories to the screen’, Kłuskiewicz emphasized.
Kłuskiewicz further explained platform’s dual focus on commissioning and acquisitions in Poland, highlighting the importance of supporting financially the films made for theaters and actively acquiring rights. ‘Netflix plays a crucial role in the entire ecosystem, fostering healthy cinemas, robust film slates, and a thriving audience, which in turn supports market growth and industry capacity, benefiting individual talents, producers, and the overall structure. We feel a responsibility toward the entire ecosystem’, he said.Azzolino added, ‘Our commitment is evident. A rising tide lifts all boats, and we want to continue investing to support the industry in every possible way. Commissioning a film creates jobs and hopefully inspires the next generation. Collaborating with like-minded producers and directors, we create a functional system that continuously replenishes the industry’.
