The nineteenth-century classic novel The Doll by Bolesław Prus received a new cinematic adaptation that debuted in theaters, Impressio.bg reported.
Producer Radosław Drabik brought the high-budget historical production to the 12th CineLibri International Book-Film Festival in Sofia, where he discussed the film’s theatrical release and international rollout.
Nearly six decades after Wojciech Jerzy Has directed the prominent 1968 film version, the new adaptation aims to reintroduce the literary staple to contemporary audiences. Drabik said that high-end costume dramas and epic historical series consistently draw large crowds.
“We see that big epic productions, historical and costume films and series, like The Gilded Age and Bridgerton, always enjoy huge popularity,” Drabik told Impressio.bg.
Prus wrote the novel while Poland lacked independence on the map, focusing on social inequality, ambition, and a tragic romance between the protagonist Stanisław Wokulski and the aristocrat Izabela Łęcka. Drabik pointed out that modern viewers face similar socioeconomic divides and geopolitical tensions, making the century-and-a-half-old story relevant today.
The production team assembled three generations of Polish actors alongside elaborate set designs and historical costumes. To drive ticket sales, the creators organized a public costume exhibition in the Royal Park in Warsaw that drew long queues.
“We used all the tools available to modern cinema,” Drabik told Impressio.bg.
Financing for the project relied on a combination of pre-sales, sponsors, and co-producers. Drabik said that the substantial budget was necessary to achieve the desired visual quality, noting that test screenings generated strong emotional reactions from focus groups.
Following its domestic theatrical run in Poland, the film expanded to screenings in the United States, Scandinavia, and Great Britain. International festival stops include an upcoming screening in Tokyo, followed by releases in other Asian markets.
Drabik expressed satisfaction that the film successfully motivated demographic groups that rarely visit theaters to return for a theatrical experience.
“One of my big dreams was for people who haven’t set foot in a cinema for ten years to decide to return to the cinema precisely because of this film,” Drabik told Impressio.bg.
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