TBI Scripted Hot Picks: Black Daisies

Producer: Balapolis | Distributor: StudioCanal | Broadcaster: Canal+ Poland (Poland)

This Polish supernatural thriller is inspired by the mysterious disappearance of several cult members in the Silesia region before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Combining emotional drama with otherworldly mystery elements, the 8 x 60-minute series follows Lena, a geologist, who faces her worst fear when her estranged teenage daughter vanishes alongside a group of kindergarten children in her care. Returning to her hometown of Wałbrzych, Lena partners with Rafal, a childhood friend and policeman, and together, they uncover a chilling link to a local businesswoman with a dark facade of philanthropy that leads them to navigate an eerie underworld of abandoned tunnels.

‘[Silesia] was a scientific research center for the Third Reich and, during the war, huge underground tunnels were built, with mines transformed into huge shelters. Until today, the mystery remains – what was the purpose of the massive underground buildings in Wałbrzych?

“We wanted to place a human story in the midst of this interesting arena, with a dual time frame,” reveals Beata Ryczkowska, director of original productions and co-productions at Canal+ Poland. “And so we have the story of Lena, a geologist, who investigates the disappearances of her daughter, during which she discovers the war secrets of Lower Silesia and gradually comes into contact with the parallel reality of underground lakes, mysterious creatures and her own repressed memories.”

Karolina Kominek, Dawid Ogrodnik and Edyta Olszówka, head the cast of the series, which is directed by Mariusz Palej (The Black Mill).

“The narrative, full of expressive characters, is interspersed with the dream visions of the main character – Lena. They not only play an important part in solving the mystery of the abducted children but are a story in itself about the happenings and horrors that women experienced after the end of the war,” Ryczkowska tells TBI.

Beatriz Campos, SVP of global sales & production financing at StudioCanal, adds that the series “offers an original narrative with fascinating characters and astonishing twists”. She believes it will appeal to international broadcasters “as a ready-made drama” and also with “huge potential for scripted adaptation in other countries.”