HBO Europe greenlights Polish drama

Wataha (The Pack) was HBO Europe’s first original Polish drama

HBO Europe has greenlit an original Polish crime drama called The Thaw.

Written and created by Marta Szymanek (The Pack) and directed by Xawery Żuławski (Bird Talk), The Thaw follows the investigation into the discovery of a young woman’s body under melting ice.

The six-part series is produced by Bogumił Lipski and executive produced by Izabela Łopuch, Johnathan Young and Antony Root for HBO Europe. Andrzej Besztak is the executive producer for Magnolia Films. Filming will take place in the Polish city of Szczecin, with production beginning in late January.

“When we started working with Marta Szymanek on The Thaw, we knew that the biggest strength of her idea was its uncompromising candour and courage in addressing issues commonly perceived as difficult, or even shameful,” said Lipski.

“This time we invite the audience into the world of a thirty-something-year-old police officer. The compelling crime layer of the show reveals much more – a deeply human and painfully relevant story about things that are most challenging: grief, mourning, loneliness, and the sense of being left behind.”

The commission follows The Pack, HBO Europe’s first original Polish drama series, and last week’s unveiling of HBO Europe’s first original Danish drama, which was announced at C21’s Content London event.