From November 5, the global Netflix audience can watch the five-episode series “Heweliusz” – inspired by the largest post-war maritime disaster in Poland. The series was directed by Jan Holoubek, the script was written by Kasper Bajon, and produced by Anna Kępińska and Telemark.
It is a story not only about a tragedy at sea, but also about its consequences – the fight for justice, dignity and memory in times of social transformation, combining a catastrophic and court drama. It shows both the moment of the tragic sinking of the MF Jan Heweliusz ferry in January 1993, as well as the social, political and emotional consequences of the events of that fateful night.
“Heweliusz” is a fictional story – a mysterious and full of twists and turns drama, in which the main characters are inspired by numerous threads and memories taken from sources regarding the ferry disaster. The axis of the series’ plot is discovering the truth from various perspectives – both those involved in the sinking of the ferry, as well as the widows, survivors and families of the victims who tried to restore the honor of themselves and their loved ones.
The series tells the story of several characters whose fates intertwine as a result of a disaster. Captain Piotr Binter (Michał Żurawski), a member of the commission investigating the causes of the sinking, becomes entangled in a web of conflicting loyalties, trying to discover the truth and defend the good name of his friend, Captain Andrzej Ułasiewicz (Borys Szyc).
Witold Skirmuntt (Konrad Eleryk) – one of the few surviving crew members – struggles with trauma, guilt and the pressure of silence.
Jolanta Ułasiewicz (Magdalena Różczka), Aneta Kaczkowska (Justyna Wasilewska) and Jadwiga Skirmuntt (Michalina Łabacz) – wives and widows who fight for truth and justice in the face of institutional indifference. Each of them has its own version of the tragedy and a different perspective on its consequences.
“Heweliusz” is one of the most spectacular Polish Netflix series productions – shot over 105 days in 70 locations, with the participation of over 120 actors, 3,000 extras and almost 200 people involved in post-production. Catastrophic sequences were carried out, among others, in the technologically advanced water filming halls of LITES Studios in Brussels – the same ones used by the world’s largest productions.
Even before its official premiere on Netflix, “Heweliusz” was presented during special screenings in Szczecin and Gdynia – cities particularly associated with the Polish maritime tradition. The premiere of the series had a unique character – it gathered numerous representatives of the maritime community and inhabitants of the region, as well as survivors and families of the disaster victims, for whom the story of Hevelius is of particular importance. The culmination of the series of shows was the ceremonial premiere in Warsaw, organized under the honorary patronage of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
On January 13, 1993, passengers and crew of the ferry Heweliusz set sail from the port of Świnoujście in Poland towards Ystad in Sweden. The journey quickly turns into a desperate fight for survival when a powerful storm pits them against the brutal force of the sea. On land, desperate families will encounter the dark side of human nature and undertake an equally difficult fight to reveal the truth about the disaster and preserve the dignity and good name of those lost at sea.