Beta Film has picked up the distribution rights for HBO Europe’s three part miniseries Burning Bush.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland, Burning Bush depicts the story of Jan Palach, the young student who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom in the Prague of January 1969, and the legal fight by his family to clear his name in the face of the oppressive communist propaganda machine.
Burning Bush rolled out very successfully on HBO Europe across its 15 countries at the beginning of this year.
Antony Root, EVP, original programming and production, HBO Europe, said, “We are delighted to be entering into a distribution agreement with Beta for Burning Bush. The wonderful work of Agnieszka Holland and her team has already been acclaimed by critics and audiences in central Europe. We are now keen to bring the mini series to the wider international market. We are certain the moving story of Jan Palach’s sacrifice and the events that followed will connect with audiences around the world.”
Beta Film CEO Jan Mojto: “How do we make choices when we face mechanisms of terror in a totalitarian system? Whether in Germany under the Nazi regime or in Eastern Europe under Communist rule, the last century is a source of fascinating stories of betrayal and adaptation but also of courage and revolution. That Agnieszka Holland precisely knows this situation is what makes Burning Bush so intriguing. I am sure this programme will appeal to those who remember but it will also inspire younger audiences. We are happy to continue our relationship with Agnieszka Holland following our cooperation on her Academy Award nomination for In Darkness and we are happy to partner with HBO Europe as they continue to create premium programming in Europe.”
Based on real characters and events, the three-part drama is HBO Europe’s most ambitious, big-budget project to date.
Burning Bush, based on a script by Stepan Hulik and starring Tatiana Pauhofova, Jaroslava Pokorna, Petr Stach and Jan Budar, was produced by HBO Europe (Antony Root, Tereza Polachova) and Nutprodukce Production (Tomas Hruby, Pavla Kubeckova).
