Polish helmer Holland boards 'Janosik'

Slovakia's Biermann to produce $2.4 million pic

By BARBARA HOLLENDER

WARSAW -- Polish director Agnieszka Holland is planning to make a feature film about Janosik, the legendary Slovakian bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

"The True Story of Janosik and Uhocik" will be co-helmed by Holland's daughter, Kasia Adamik ("Bark"), and the pic will lens in Slovakia and Poland.

The project will be produced by Slovakian producer Rudolf Biermann, and has an estimated budget of $2.4 million. The Slovakian ministry of culture is contributing $400,000, and the country's parliament another $400,000.

Bierman is also in talks with Polish producer Dariusz Jablonski, who will probably co-produce, local television stations, and Hungarian producers.

The screenplay was written by the Slovakian screenwriter and director, Eva Borusovicova, who penned "Blue Heaven."

"It's a very beautiful and poetic text," Holland said. "There's something of the atmosphere of old Czech films in it, yet at the same time a Slovakian lightness. Besides, I'm under the spell of Slovakian folk ballads, which have everything -- poetry, the absurd, and cruelty."

Holland will begin scouting locations in the Tatry mountains on the Polish-Czech-Slovak border in March. Casting will take place in May, and lensing is skedded to commence in August.