Beta movie adds Serbian and Czechoslovakian dramas to growing Central and Eastern European roster (EXCLUSIVE)

Beta Film has added two new titles to its growing roster of Central and Eastern European titles, acquiring the international distribution rights to Serbian supernatural drama 'Block 27' and Czech crime drama 'Ultimatum', announced society on the eve of the Sarajevo Film Festival.

Veronika Kovacova, Beta's vice president of international sales and acquisitions for Eastern Europe and Turkey, said the agreements underscore the company's continued commitment to this fast-growing region. "We're here for the creators, for the producers, to help them and support what they want to produce," she said.

Directed by Momir Milosevic and Milica Tomovic, and produced by Belgrade-based Firefly Productions, "Block 27" is a sci-fi mystery that follows the disappearance of a teenager in Belgrade and the search for his twin sister to Finding Him—a journey that finds her traveling to another dimension. The 12 x 45' series is created by Ivan Knezevic and features Branko Djuric, Stefan Lazic and Katarina Markovic.

The show takes place in the middle of the rudimentary buildings of New Belgrade, an area that was built in the 1960s and 1970s in the former Yugoslavia. “It was a great symbol of Yugoslav progress, brotherhood and unity of the people. But when the country collapsed, those ideals also collapsed,” Kovacova said.

This teen drama brings a new genre twist to the burgeoning Serbian TV industry. Comparing it to "Stranger Things" and the German hit series "Dark", Kovacova said the show has "a very modern approach...combined with a historical element" that will make it appealing to audiences of all ages. /p>

"Ultimatum" (pictured) is an 8 x 60' crime drama directed by Michal Kollár and produced by Czech television KFS Production and TV JOJ. Starring Ján Koleník, Ester Geislerová and Milan Bahul, it follows a police negotiator who becomes embroiled in a hospital hostage situation that involves his pregnant girlfriend and the Minister of Defense.

A partnership between the Czech public broadcaster and Slovak commercial network TV JOJ, Kovacova said the series "is something very new for us and for them". Steeped in regional history and political intrigue, the Beta exec said that "with a little more action, 'Ultimatum' can really draw in an international audience."

Both titles will be part of Beta's MIPCOM catalog, which also includes "Cardamom Coffee", a historical drama by Ukrainian writer Natalia Hurnytska set in Lviv at the end of the 19th century. The series is produced by Solar Media Entertainment for Ukrainian broadcaster STB and stars Olena Lavrenyuk ("Woman at War") and actor Pawel Delag ("Schindler's List"). "It fits perfectly into the Beta catalog, as we try to bring the best of Europe" to an international audience, Kovacova said. "It's also our way of supporting Ukrainian creators with whom we have worked for many years."

Also on the program is 'Golden Boy', a coming-of-age story produced by Fantastika Film Studio for Telekom Serbia about a talented young footballer who must fight against all odds to succeed; and “The Silence,” a crime drama that follows the fallout for a detective, a journalist and the wife of a local politician after the body of a young girl washes up on a riverbank in Croatia.

>

Since acquiring a majority stake two years ago in Drugi Plan, the Zagreb-based production company behind 'The Silence' and Netflix-acquired political thriller 'The Paper', Beta has strengthened its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. , Kovacova noting that the Munich-based company is drawn to "the authenticity and very raw emotion it displays in its productions".

To illustrate how her relationships in the region are bearing fruit, she cited the example of "The Silence", which Drugi Plan produced with the Croatian television channel HRT. Beta brought ZDF/ARTE on board as co-producers, and the show was picked up by HBO Max this year.

Such collaborations, Kovacova added, are a sign of more collaborations to come in the region. "There are incredibly talented people, wonderful screenwriters. Creatively, it's very rich," she said. high-end stories in the international market."

The Sarajevo Film Festival runs from August 12 to 20.