GROM brings action to movie business
The news is the best sign yet that the film has a chance of international sales and finance that will bring a much-needed boost to Poland's beleaguered movie business.
"We need to sell three million tickets in our Polish theatrical release to even begin to make a profit," says Petelicka, "Distribution in America will be a great opportunity to massively increase sales." Petelicka is the wife of GROM founder General (Ret.) Sławomir Petelicki, who is acting as an adviser on the movie.
The fact-based movie will follow the story of six male and one female commando, and will recount GROM action around the world since the formation of the unit at the end of the Cold War. The special forces have had training from the British SAS and American SEAL forces. Their operations have included the evacuation of Jews from Russia to Israel in the early nineties, involvement in Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti and, most recently, in securing the port of Um Quasr during 2003's Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Independent film producer Jan Dowjat anticipates that this is perfect timing for such a film. "We are hungry for a patriotic message, but we are hungry for a new tone in Polish cinema," says Dowjat. "This could be the next phase of privately-financed Polish cinema that attempts a departure from the costume dramas of Wajda and Hoffman."
Petelicka runs a film company that has already produced a successful documentary about Polish-Israeli relations, sponsored by the Richard Krauze Foundation. The objective of the film was to turn around the image of Poland in Israel where, according to Petelicka, "Many people we interviewed blamed Poles for the holocaust. We have documented how many Poles were involved in saving Jewish lives during the War."
The GROM movie has a similar moral objective. Early drafts of the screenplay, written by veteran screenwriter Cezary Harasimowicz, have a patriotic tone in which Poles are portrayed as tolerant, professional and courageous. "We need role models in this country," says Harasimowicz, "and we have them in the form of GROM, but we must celebrate and preserve that unit's legacy."
Petelicka likens the structure and tone of the film to the epics of Sienkiewicz, and it is similarly intended to boost national pride, albeit with a social and political message based on recent facts.
Pre-production of the movie is set against a backdrop of controversy surrounding the commando unit. Earlier this month, Roman Polko, the man who commanded GROM behind enemy lines in Iraq last year, resigned in protest against a plan to break up the unit.
"GROM are national heroes," says General Petelicki. "The 'Polish bravery' that you hear world leaders talk about is the bravery of GROM. The respect we have from our western allies is respect for GROM. The men who want to disband the unit have an interest in keeping Poland's conscript army."
General Petelicki agrees that at least in part, the making of this film is a public relations campaign to preserve Poland's specialist unit and to raise awareness of the need for a professional army.
"We need to sell three million tickets in our Polish theatrical release to even begin to make a profit," says Petelicka, "Distribution in America will be a great opportunity to massively increase sales." Petelicka is the wife of GROM founder General (Ret.) Sławomir Petelicki, who is acting as an adviser on the movie.
The fact-based movie will follow the story of six male and one female commando, and will recount GROM action around the world since the formation of the unit at the end of the Cold War. The special forces have had training from the British SAS and American SEAL forces. Their operations have included the evacuation of Jews from Russia to Israel in the early nineties, involvement in Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti and, most recently, in securing the port of Um Quasr during 2003's Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Independent film producer Jan Dowjat anticipates that this is perfect timing for such a film. "We are hungry for a patriotic message, but we are hungry for a new tone in Polish cinema," says Dowjat. "This could be the next phase of privately-financed Polish cinema that attempts a departure from the costume dramas of Wajda and Hoffman."
Petelicka runs a film company that has already produced a successful documentary about Polish-Israeli relations, sponsored by the Richard Krauze Foundation. The objective of the film was to turn around the image of Poland in Israel where, according to Petelicka, "Many people we interviewed blamed Poles for the holocaust. We have documented how many Poles were involved in saving Jewish lives during the War."
The GROM movie has a similar moral objective. Early drafts of the screenplay, written by veteran screenwriter Cezary Harasimowicz, have a patriotic tone in which Poles are portrayed as tolerant, professional and courageous. "We need role models in this country," says Harasimowicz, "and we have them in the form of GROM, but we must celebrate and preserve that unit's legacy."
Petelicka likens the structure and tone of the film to the epics of Sienkiewicz, and it is similarly intended to boost national pride, albeit with a social and political message based on recent facts.
Pre-production of the movie is set against a backdrop of controversy surrounding the commando unit. Earlier this month, Roman Polko, the man who commanded GROM behind enemy lines in Iraq last year, resigned in protest against a plan to break up the unit.
"GROM are national heroes," says General Petelicki. "The 'Polish bravery' that you hear world leaders talk about is the bravery of GROM. The respect we have from our western allies is respect for GROM. The men who want to disband the unit have an interest in keeping Poland's conscript army."
General Petelicki agrees that at least in part, the making of this film is a public relations campaign to preserve Poland's specialist unit and to raise awareness of the need for a professional army.
