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GOD'S SOLDIERS - SIEGE OF MALTA

By Elizabeth E. SCHUCH, Konstantinos KOUTSOLIOTAS

URBAN CANYONS LIMITED - as DISTR / PROD

Historical - Completed 2021

In the mid-16th Century, a long running conflict between two of the most powerful world religions is building up to a climactic battle in the Mediterranean for the very soul of Europe. Facing each other are two highly trained forces. The knights of the Order of St. John, a small but formidable Christian military Order and the Muslim Janissaries, the fearsome crack troops of the Sultan.

Festivals
& Awards

Muslim Film Festival Perth 2021

Official Selection

Mediterreanean Film Festival Cannes 2021

Official Selection

Malta Film festival 2022

Official Selection

- Year of production
- 2021
- Genres
- Historical, True Story, Epic
- Countries
- UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, MALTA
- Languages
- ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, POLISH, CZECH
- Budget
- 0.6 - 1 M$
- Duration
- 90 mn
- Director(s)
- Elizabeth E. SCHUCH, Konstantinos KOUTSOLIOTAS
- Writer(s)
- Sebastian PEITER
- Cast
- Davide TUCCI, Rudy Emanuel CATANIA
- Producer(s)
- Sebastian PEITER (Urban Canyons), Paul PARKER (Parker Films ), Sebastian PEITER (Urban Canyons), Caroline HAIDACHER (ORF)
- Synopsis
- This 2-hours drama led documentary is supported by historic re-enactment on original locations, and a full-size replica galleon. Spectacular CGI and gripping drama make up 70% of the film. Eps 1 looks at the build-up of the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. Eps 2 focuses on the dramatic battle for Fort St. Elmo.
  The historic events are told through the eyes of two fictional but historically accurate characters:
  
  Alexius (above left) is a 14-year-old who finds himself pressganged into the Sultan’s army in Greece. He is converted to Islam, changes his name to Hasan, before being trained in Constantinople as an elite Janissary soldier. Hasan’s soon to be arch-rival Raymonde is a 15-year-old French noble (above right), sent to the Order of St. John in Malta by his ambitious parents to become a wealthy knight and seafarer. They will both meet in battle, trained to fight in the name of God, and Allah.
  
  After losing his best friend in a bitter naval battle with knight Raymonde and his corsairs, Hasan becomes a follower of the Muslim dervish cult (above right). Finally, after years of warfare, both sides have lost their ways. Consumed by uncontrollable hate, they betray their religious beliefs. Only one will survive the bloody Siege of Malta.
  
  Filmed in historic locations in Malta, Turkey, Austria, and UK. The dramatic story of Hasan and Raymonde is commented on by leading historians from the UK, Malta, Turkey, and Germany. Script and edit versions are fact checked to give an accurate and unideological portrait of both warring sides.
  
  DAVID NICOLLE The rise of the Ottoman Empire is quite an extraordinary piece of history. The speed, the extent, the directions in which it went. This was just something incomprehensible. It was almost a kind of end of the world, apocalyptic feeling amongst Christian Europe.
  
  THOMAS FRELLER The Siege of Malta epitomises an important moment of Mediterranean history. People driven by religion, hatred, and fanaticism.
  
  GÜLAY YILMAZ It is fascinating that within ten years, a boy had this full transformation from being a Greek child praying in his church, and then he turns into this warrior, killing for Allah, for the Sultan.

GOD'S SOLDIERS - SIEGE OF MALTA

Festivals& Awards

Festivals
& Awards