'F*cking Bornholm', a sour comedy about social discomfort, boosts sales (EXCLUSIVE)

Xavier Henry-Rashid's London-based sales agency Film Republic has secured deals for several territories on "F*cking Bornholm", a tangy comedy about social discomfort. The film had its international premiere in the main competition section of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, where it won the Label Europa award Cinemas.

In his review, Variety's Guy Lodge commented that Polish writer-director Anna Kazejak "specifies, The piquant film deserves wider exposure at the festival and the discerning interest of distributors.It has now been acquired by Icelandic Bio Paradis, Arsenal for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Lithuanian Garsas, Slovenian RTV , Israeli Yes and Swedish Lucky Dogs International trailer debuts below.

In the film, two couples with children go on a short vacation to Denmark, the island of Bornholm. Each person has different goals and expectations, and each of them and their relationships will be tested.

It was described by Lodge as a "dark and distinctly relaxing comedy from Poland that exploits the abuse of men, entitlement and boredom for the laughs that all come with an accompanying grimace – while firmly aligning his sympathies with a venal wife and mother, superbly played by Agnieszka Grochowska."

Lodge added: "With its cool comedic tone, neat formal poise and orchestral flourishes to accompany escalating proceedings of awkwardness and emotional hurt, "Fucking Bornholm" is likely to make many arthouse patrons think of Swedish iconoclast Ruben Östlund - in particular, his feature film "Force Majeure “, which covered comparable thematic ground of male absence and irresponsibility in the bourgeois family unit.”

Alongside Grochowska, the film stars Maciej Stuhr, Grzegorz Damięcki, Jasmina Polak and Magus Krepper .

It is produced by Marta Lewandowska and the screenplay was written by Filip Kasperaszek and Kazejak. The production company is Warsaw-based Friends With Benefits Studio, which was established in 2019 by Lewandowska, Kazejak and Kasperaszek. Its first production was Netflix's first Polish original "Erotica 2022". FWB's "Roving Woman" had its world premiere in June at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Kazejak attended Poland's National Film School in Lodz and together with two friends produced "Ode to Joy", on the economic emigration of young Poles. It won the Special Jury Prize at the Gdynia Film Festival in 2005 and screened in competition at the Rotterdam Film Festival.

She made her directorial debut with "Flying Pigs", which was a hit in the box office in Poland, and his third feature 'The Word' had its world premiere at the Berlinale in the Generation section and screened at over 40 international film festivals. She also directed many episodes of the Polish version of HBO's "In Treatment".

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