‘Blinded By the Lights’ Director Krzysztof Skonieczny Sets Up Modern ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Story ‘Wrooklyn Zoo,’ CAA and FilmNation Board Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
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Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Skonieczny is set to go into production on the feature film “Wrooklyn Zoo.”
“Wrooklyn Zoo” is a modern retelling of William Shakespeare’s classic “Romeo and Juliet” in which Romeo, a skilled skateboarder, finds himself captivated by Julia, a Romani girl seeking to emancipate herself from her environment. Their love becomes a powerful force that transcends cultural and societal barriers, leading them on a journey of self-discovery and resilience.
Skonieczny is known for directing the critically acclaimed HBO drama series “Blinded by the Lights,” which launched on HBO Europe in 2018, becoming the platform’s third most watched show in the region. The show debuted in the U.S. in 2019 — a rarity at the time for European HBO programming.
The film’s ensemble cast combines recognized Polish actors, Romani performers and professional skateboarders.
The pic is produced by Olga Bibik and Krzysztof Skonieczny of glebokiOFF, together with Alicja Grawon-Jaksik as the associate producer. Ara Keshishian and Petr Jakl of ZQ Entertainment are producing as well as co-financing the production. The film is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, in co-production with CANAL+, Juice, and Lower Silesia Film Fund.
CAA Media Finance will represent the film’s North American distribution rights while FilmNation Entertainment will handle international sales.
Principal photography begins in June in Poland, followed by a brief shoot in Los Angeles.
The principal photography will be complemented by “guerilla shooting” that will capture specific scenes and shots that require a “unique and spontaneous approach” to enhance the visual narrative and add an element of authenticity to the production.
Skonieczny is represented by manager Jerome Duboz and CAA.
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