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THE BELL

By Vadim JEAN

THE MOB FILM COMPANY - as PROD

Drama - Completed 2008

- Year of production
- 2008
- Genres
- Drama
- Countries
- UNITED KINGDOM
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Budget
- 1 - 3 M$
- Duration
- 100 mn
- Director(s)
- Vadim JEAN
- Writer(s)
- Martin KISZKO, Vadim JEAN
- Producer(s)
- Andrew BOSWELL (The Mob)
- Synopsis
- Jan Kobylinski, a reclusive Anglo-Russian property developer on the verge of signing a big deal, has just got word that his grandmother is dying. On her deathbed, she makes him promise to take her “home” to be buried next to her husband, Josef. And so Jan arrives in a tiny village in Belarus with his grandmother’s coffin.
  But Jan receives an unexpectedly frosty reception and opposition to the burial. Josef, once the bellcaster for the whole area, has been branded a traitor and there isn’t even a headstone for him at the cemetery. On top of that, Jan’s laptop is down, there is no mobile signal and he is reduced to making work-related faxes via the dubious village post office.
  No one will talk to him except for the sympathetic local priest Father Basil, and the 10-year-old orphan Waleric, who explain why the village hates Jan’s family. As the Nazis invaded Belarus in 1941, they needed metal to recast into tanks, guns, and bullets. What they prized more than anything was refined metal – the type of metal found only in church bells. Thus, 100.000 church bells from Belarus ended up at the port of Hamburg. Josef was responsible for hiding the village church bells but went missing himself – along with one of the bells – and was suspected of trading the bell for safe passage.
  To clear his family’s name, Jan must find the missing bell. He is sabotaged by locals, befriended by the uncouth but amiable Herman, and romanced by Agnes, the daughter of the Chairman of the Collective. Forced to embark on this quest, his property deal sinks into the background and he uncovers much more as he finds love, community and most importantly, himself.
- Partners & financing
- Partners include the UK Film Council and ContentFilm. Both co-producers and co-financing partners from Germany and Poland/Hungary are being sought.
- Beginning of shooting
- Jan 01, 2008