The much-awaited, six-part show is a co-production between the UK’s Sky Studios and the US streaming service, Peacock, news outlets reported.
Now in production, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the eponymously titled novel by Helen Morris, which sold over 12 million copies globally, and was published in Poland in April 2018, according to state news agency PAP.
‘A story of bravery and love in the darkest of places’
The TV series tells the “powerful real-life story of Lale Sokolov, a Jewish prisoner who was tasked with tattooing ID numbers on prisoners' arms in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War Two,” the Internet Movie Database noted.
One day, Lale “meets Gita when tattooing her prisoner number on her arm,” the synopsis reads.
The pair “experience love at first sight, and so begins a courageous, unforgettable, and human story, told through one man’s memory and experience of Auschwitz-Birkenau; a tale of the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances,” according to WebWire.
It is a “heartrending series about bravery and love in the darkest of places,” the US website added.
Poland’s Próchniak to star as Gita Furman
The Polish actress Anna Próchniak is set to take up the lead role of Gita Furman, alongside Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid, World on Fire) as Lale Sokolov, the PAP news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Melanie Lynskey (The Last of Us, Yellowjackets) will play Heather Morris, author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz novel, according to news reports.
All six episodes will be directed by award-winning director Tali Shalom-Ezer (My Days of Mercy, Princess), the US entertainment magazine Variety reported.
Poland’s Próchniak, whose past credits include movies such as Warsaw 44 (2014) and Breaking the Limits (2017) and the TV series Baptiste (2019), said of her new role: “Reimagining Gita Sokolov and her story for screen has been one of the greatest honours of my career so far, as well as a heartrending experience. I know this won’t be an easy story to tell, but I will treat their story with the utmost respect.”
Director Tali Shalom-Ezer stated: “In Auschwitz, a factory of death and dehumanisation, Lale and Gita’s love story is an act of defiance. It is the choice to remain human. I’m inspired and honoured to bring this story to life, alongside the talented team of people assembled.”
The Tattooist of Auschwitz will be available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in 2024 in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Germany, with Viaplay taking rights for Poland, as well as Scandinavia, the Baltic states and the Netherlands, and Stan for Australia, according to news outlets.
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Source: PAP, WebWire, Variety, imdb.com