The story
Elijah "Eli" Monroe is a gifted Afro-American forger, haunted by witnessing his father's lynching. He leads a six-man New York gang to Paris, where they vanish into the bohemian underworld of Montmartre and forge tickets for the 1938 FIFA World Cup.
That World Cup brought Catholics, Jews and Muslims in Paris together in a rare moment of unity. When the Nazi occupation begins, the bond becomes the foundation of an extraordinary rescue. Catholic clergy give sanctuary, the forgers make documents, Jewish jewellers bring precision craft and Arabic calligraphers hand-write Quranic script, together creating Arabic passports for more than 1,200 Jewish men, women and children.
Carrying their new identities, the refugees pass through Nazi checkpoints and the catacombs beneath Paris on their way to neutral Sweden.
Why this story
It is a true story of people of different faiths risking everything for each other, told as a thriller. It sits alongside Schindler's List, The Pianist and Casablanca, with the heist energy of a gang of forgers at its centre.
Where it stands
The film is in development and seeking distribution, with Angel Studios and Amazon Prime among the targets. Dreamcatcher Films will produce it through its AI film pipeline.
Open to investment
We are looking for investment partners for Secrets of the Catacombs. The project is open to investors now, and we would be glad to share the full package, including the screenplay, budget and production plan. Get in touch to find out more.
