Global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) and Palomar are pleased to announce their partnership on new series GADDAFI, based on the life and times of Muammar Gaddafi and its lingering effects on the world today. Gaddafi is being developed by Roberto Saviano (Gomorrah) and created and written by Roberto Saviano and Nadav Schirman (The Green Prince).
An epic, contemporary and cruel story, Gaddafi is about a man with a bottomless desire for power that wanted a worldwide revolution. A fallen man, engulfed in his most terrible vices. A tyrant. Gaddafi was an enigmatic leader who came from the desert and tried to conquer the world. A man who believed in his vision for Libya, but ending up being killed by his own people.
"This is a TV series about a warrior, a dreamer, who becomes a savage and merciless tyrant. A multi-millionaire oil tycoon and a VICIOUS oppressor," said Saviano. "It's the story of an adventurer from the desert, a rock 'n' roll tyrant, who self-ascribed terrorist attacks he didn't organize and associations with terrorist groups that he did not know in order to have the monopoly on one of his most important assets - fear."
"As international co-productions continue to be a very important part of our global content strategy, we are thrilled to partner with Palomar, who share our passion for creating bold dramas," said Pancho Mansfield, President, Global Scripted Programming, eOne Television. "We are delighted to have Roberto and Nadav on board this impressive project. Roberto's commitment to research and his ability to weave the details of Gaddafi's rise and fall into a tapestry of captivating storytelling will make for great television," added Carrie Stein, EVP, Global Production, eOne Television.
"We are starting a new terrific ENDEAVOUR and we are very proud of doing it with eOne. We will tell an untold, visionary, tragic story of madness" said Carlo Degli Esposti, President of Palomar. "We share with Saviano and Nadav the enthusiasm in creating a great story for television that digs in our recent past that will help us understand our present and future," added Nicola Serra, Partner and Managing Director of Palomar.
Saviano is an Italian journalist, writer, and essayist. His bestselling first novel, Gomorrah, about the Italian criminal organization Camorra, was published in April 2006 by Mondadori. It has been released in over fifty countries, selling more than ten million copies worldwide. He collaborated in the screenplay of the film based on his book and directed by Matteo Garrone, which won the Grand Prix at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and the Best Film Award at the 2008 European Film Awards. Saviano is also the creator of the award-winning television series Gomorrah, which is broadcasted by SUNDANCE TV and Netflix USA. Since October 13, 2006, Saviano has been living under police protection due to death threats made by the Casalesi clan, a cartel within the Camorra. As a journalist, he collaborates with La Repubblica and L'Espresso in Italy, as well as The New York Times and Newsweek in the United States, and The Guardian in the UK.
Roberto Saviano and Nadav Schirman will executive produce Gaddafi. The series is being spearheaded by eOne's Carrie Stein and Polly Williams for eOne and Carlo Degli Esposti and Nicola Serra for Palomar. eOne controls worldwide rights to the series.
