BOX

Type: Drama, History

Proposal: Film or Mini-Series

Main Audience: Male, 25-55 years
Direct – Eastern Europe
Indirect – Rest of the world

Budget estimated: 10$ million
Distribution: Cinema or VOD
World Wide Box Office estimated: 100$ million 

Contact BOX

Marian Mario
Producer

[email protected]
+40 0734.394.616
palafilm.com

Vlad The Impaler

~project proposal~

In short, “The Story of Vlad” is an unmissable cinematic experience that will entertain, educate and inspire audiences. It will provide a new perspective on an important historical figure and shed light on a crucial period of European history. It is time to bring Vlad Tepes’ story to the forefront and give it the recognition it deserves.

Short Description

 

   The film tells the story of a Wallachian ruler who stops the rise of the Ottoman Empire and Sultan Mehmet II, the conqueror of Constantinople. 

   Vlad Țepeș’s story has never been treated from a historical point of view, it has only been described from the fantasy of the novel Dracula.

  The action focuses on the theory of interethnic balances and the strategic model of the great empires to create buffer zones.

The Story of Vlad is an epic tale of a legendary figure in medieval European history. Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracul, was the son of Vlad Dracul, the lord of Wallachia. He was captured as a child by the Ottomans, raised there, and later took the throne for himself. He lost and regained the throne multiple times, murdered hundreds of thousands of people, and successfully repelled the same captors that held him prisoner years ago.

Our film will take you on a journey through Vlad’s life and his struggle against the Ottoman invasion. You will see how he became a powerful leader and defender of his country, Wallachia, against these invasions. You will also see how Vlad Tepes understood the importance of uniting Europe’s forces to resist the Ottoman invasion and how he managed to organize and lead a coalition of medieval European states to resist Ottoman advances.

The film will also showcase one of the most significant battles of Vlad’s life, The Battle of Targoviste, where he attempted to kill Mehmed II, the Ottoman sultan, in order to change the course of the war. Unfortunately, he failed, but his actions left the Ottoman army terrified.

Additionally, the film will explore the impact of Vlad’s actions on European history and culture and how it has been told in stories and paintings for centuries. Discover the historical importance of Vlad Tepes and how he influenced medieval European history and culture. The film will show how Vlad Tepes fought for the freedom of his country Wallachia and became a symbol of resistance against the Ottoman invasion. We will see how Vlad’s actions had a lasting impact on European history and how he became a legendary figure that is still celebrated today.

Furthermore, the film will delve into the complexities of Vlad’s character and his actions, which have often been depicted as monstrous and brutal. Viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the political and social context in which he was operating and the reasons behind his actions. We will also examine how Vlad’s reputation as a ruthless leader was used for propaganda by both his enemies and allies.

The film will also showcase the stunning landscapes and architecture of medieval Europe, transporting viewers back in time to experience the beauty and grandeur of this era. It will also feature an all-star cast, bringing to life the iconic characters of Vlad’s story.

In short, “The Story of Vlad” is an unmissable cinematic experience that will entertain, educate and inspire audiences. It will provide a new perspective on an important historical figure and shed light on a crucial period of European history. It is time to bring Vlad Tepes’ story to the forefront and give it the recognition it deserves.

The historical significance of Vlad Tepes: As a well-known historical figure, Vlad Tepes has a built-in audience interested in learning more about his story and the impact he had on European history.

A well-known story: Vlad Tepes’ story is already well-known and has been depicted in various forms of media, such as literature and film, which can generate interest from audiences who are already familiar with the story.

Strong cast: Featuring an all-star cast will attract audiences who are fans of the actors involved in the project.

Educational value: The film will provide audiences with a deeper understanding of the historical context and events surrounding Vlad Tepes, making it an appealing option for educational institutions and history enthusiasts.

The opportunity for merchandise sales: With a well-known figure like Vlad Tepes, there is an opportunity for merchandise sales such as T-shirts, mugs, and other memorabilia.

A captivating story: The story of Vlad Tepes is a captivating one that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The combination of historical significance, a well-known story, strong cast and stunning landscapes and architecture, make it an appealing option for audiences.

Positive word-of-mouth: Positive reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations from early viewers can generate buzz and attract new audiences to see the film.

Awards potential: If the film receives critical acclaim and awards recognition, it can drive more people to see the film and generate more buzz.

Vlad Ţepeş was the son of Vlad Dracul, the lord of Wallachia. Vlad, the father, had been received into the Order of the Dragon by Sigismund of Luxembourg, King of Hungary, for which reason he was called the “Devil” from the dragon. Under the name Dracula or Draculea, in the sense of “Dracul”, his son, Vlad, was known to his contemporaries, while the Turks called him Ţepeş, because of his favorite punishment – being stabbed. The nickname given by the Turks, Vlad Ţepeş, became popular in Romanian translation, while the nickname Dracula, preferred by Westerners, acquired a different meaning, given by the main character of Bram Stoker’s novel.

He spent his childhood and adolescence more in foreign lands, through Transylvania and Hungary, with his father, and after Vlad Dracul, placed on the throne by Sigismund of Luxembourg, submitted to the sultan, he spent several years in the Ottoman Empire. , as a hostage. Until taking over, he lived more abroad, which may explain his domestic policy. He knew different cultures: the Hungarian and German from Transylvania, the Ottoman and maybe less the Romanian. These contacts with diverse environments allowed him to create his own concept about the idea of ​​governance.

Battle of Targoviste

Several different historical accounts at the time spoke of this attack, and while there are some significant variations in terms of details, the basic course of events is the same. Upon reaching Târgoviște but before entering it, the Ottomans set up a base camp. Vlad saw this as a great opportunity for a task that was nowhere near easy but which could change the course of the war significantly. Taking anywhere between 7,000 and 10,000 men, the voivode divided them into two groups and attacked the camp at night, when the Ottomans least suspected it. His main goal was to kill Mehmed II and his chief viziers. The murders of these individuals would then act as a catalyst for the Turkish armies to fall into disarray. Had Vlad succeeded, there would have been a dynastic battle at the Porte, allowing the Christian nations of the Balkans to breathe a sigh of relief for a short while and reorganize their efforts. Sadly, Vlad did not harm the sultan (though, according to some sources, the voivode’s army did wound Mehmed, albeit not fatally) and had to retreat into the thick Wallachian woodland. The Ottomans were, reportedly, terrified beyond belief, and after the confusion had settled, they somehow managed to capture a number of Wallachian soldiers and decapitate them in retaliation.

Vlad’s final proper act of defiance was caused by his absence from Târgoviște when the Ottomans reached it by the end of June. Sources claim that the Muslim army had entered a deserted town, which was littered with impaled corpses of all ages, both male and female, and all nationalities. They even recognized some of the court dignitaries from Constantinople that had been dispatched earlier that year. The sultan himself stated that he could not deprive Wallachia of such a cruel yet competent ruler, so he left the capital, with his men dumbfounded and confused as to what had just happened.

And indeed, a brief overview of Vlad’s life does seem strange and unlikely, especially for a medieval minor noble. How many rulers can attest to being captured as a child by the Ottomans, raised there, then taking the throne for themselves, losing it once, retaking it again, murdering hundreds of thousands of people and successfully repelling the same captors that held him prisoner years ago (captors whose country was almost ten times the size of his), losing the throne again, being captured by a former ally’s son, being released by that same person (and marrying his cousin, no less), winning war after war in reclaiming his country, retaking the throne again, and losing it for the final time in the heat of battle? How many rulers can say that they had so many stories written, spoken, and sung about him, or paintings painted of him that ended up in some of Europe’s wealthiest castles, that it ended up terrifying some of Europe’s most powerful rulers? And most importantly, how many rulers can attest that they had, in a sense, become the ruler of the people despite enacting some of the most monstrous punishments in human history?

Dracula was, more or less, a product of his time. With all of the nuances and context, we can see that he merely exaggerated his deeds, something other rulers before (and even after) him had done. The short period of his reign is almost disproportionate to the number of acts he committed, wars he fought, people he killed, people he protected, and locations he either visited or dwelled in. The mere fact that he still survives in Romanian folklore is more than enough to tell you just how much of an impact he has had on human history. He was a man who could impale hundreds of people in a single day just because they irked him a little bit, or cut down a trusted general or a staunch supporter for simply making an honest mistake. But he was also a man who could provide troops to protect his people, pass laws that would make it easier for his fellow Wallachians to trade without unfair competition, and both build and gift numerous monasteries to the same Church that probably didn’t take too kindly to him. Ironically enough, Vlad was also a monarch who quite literally used underhanded means and barbaric acts to weed out corruption at the very top, and he did so effectively. And thanks to his prudent nature, he would take his long-overdue vengeance on the Ottomans over and over again, beating and humiliating them to the point of desperation.

Of course, we shouldn’t romanticize Vlad the Impaler. In the end, he was a human being who committed horrible deeds for both personal and political reasons, which makes him comparatively less of a monster than, for example, some of the 20th-century’s worst dictators. But we shouldn’t exclude him from the history books either. Even modern rulers can learn a thing or two from Vlad’s example (obviously avoiding all of the slaughter) and, in doing so, manage to run a country in a way that makes the little guy feel safer. 

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