HBO Europe stocks drama originals

Romanian relationship drama Ruxx

HBO Europe has started production on original dramas in Romania and Poland, while renewing its Norwegian scripted series Beforeigners for a second season.

Romanian drama Ruxx (8×45’) is written by Vera Ion and directed by Iulia Rugină (Breaking News, Love Building) and Octav Gheorghe. The series stars Raluca Aprodu (Dogs, Selfie 69) and Alec Secăreanu (God’s Own Country, Cannibal).

The relationship drama centres on the titular character balancing her demanding career working for a Bucharest property developer with trying to manage the other priorities in her life.

The producer for HBO Europe is Ioanina Pavel and exec producders are Johnathan Young and Antony Root. The producers for Mobra Films, which is providing production services, are Cristian Mungiu and Tudor Reu.

Antony Root

Still Here (Warszawianka, 12×40’) was written by Jakub Żulczyk, who also wrote HBO Europe’s series Blinded by The Lights. The drama is directed by Jacek Borcuch (Dolce Fine Giornata) and stars Borys Szyc (Snow White and Russian Red) in the leading role.

It follows a 40-year-old urban legend in Warsaw – an irresponsible party animal, a serial lothario and everyone’s friend at the same time. Behind the veneer he is tormented and self-loathing, trapped by his parents and shackled by the culture and the times that shaped him.

The producer for HBO Europe is Izabela Łopuch and exec producers are Johnathan Young, Steve Matthews and Antony Root. The line producer from Magnolia Films is Andrzej Besztak.

Beforeigners is about two people who appear mysteriously in Oslo, the first of many from the past who seek refuge in the present time. It was created by Eilif Skodvin and Anne Bjørnstad (Lilyhammer), directed by Jens Lien and stars Nicolai Cleve Broch and Krista Kosonen. The second 6×60’ run will again be produced by Rubicon TV, a Banijay Company.

Norwegian drama Beforeigners is set for a second run

Antony Root, exec VP of original programming and production at HBO Europe, said: “In what has been a challenging year for television drama, we are incredibly excited to have begun shooting on Ruxx and Still Here. These commissions underline our intention to offer a wide range of premium originals to our subscribers in Central Europe.”

In related news, HBO has acquired the rights to true crime doc miniseries The State Against Pablo Ibar for Spain and Portugal.

The documentary miniseries, directed by Olmo Figueredo González-Quevedo and produced by La Claqueta PC, La Cruda Realidad and Irusoin, had its premiere yesterday at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.

The doc is a detailed account of the court case that led to Spaniard Pablo Ibar being sentenced to death for a triple homicide in Miramar, Florida.

HBO Documentary Films, meanwhile, has taken all North American rights to The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, a feature foc from filmmaker Frank Marshall about the legendary band.