01-03-2009

Modern treasure hunt documentary in the works

By Katarzyna Grynienko
    Polish Bow & Axe Entertainment has lined up an international co-production with the working title Return To Lodz. Pandora's Box.

    The full-length documentary will follow Mark Watkins, inspired by the story of his grandfather who moved to Poland before the WWII and became the business manager for the Shreders, a wealthy Jewish family. When the family fled Poland in 1939 he buried much of their riches under one of the main streets in Lodz, passing the secret whereabouts only to his son. David Watkins sends Mark on a journey that takes his son from USA, where he will meet with the descendants of Shreders and discovers another family legend, to Lodz where he will test if a modern treasure hunt can actually the place.

    The €400,000 film is co-production of Bow & Axe Entertainment (www.bowandaxe.com) represented by Marek Nowowiejski, and Germany's Context TV (www.context.tv) represented by Hans Pauch. The production is supported by TV Arte, The Polish Film Institute (www.pisf.pl), Polish PTV (www.tvp.pl), Chanel 4, Australian SBS, YLE Finnish Broadcasting Company and Danish DR2. Marek Nowowiejski told FNE, "The film will definitely have a television distribution and we are working on preparing the cinema version as well." The movie will consist of feature documentary shots as well as animation sequences that will illustrate the story of the legend.

    The film is currently in production, with the camera following Mark Watkins wherever his journey takes him. The finale of the shoot is planned for May 2009 in Lodz. "We are hoping that not only Mark will come to try discover the treasure, but also all the people that we found to be involved in this legend during the process of filming this documentary," Nowowiejski told FNE. Return to Lodz. Pandora's Box will be ready in the Fall 2009.