The Grand Trial
Genre: Drama, History, Jewish
Language: Hungarian, Yiddish
Format: 55' x 8
Cinesuper, Hungary
In the grand blood libel case of 1880s Hungary, prosecution's crown witness, MORIC SCHARF (15) is ready to send his own father to the gallows unless star attorney Eotvos halts insanity in the country.
Based on true events, The Grand Trial is set in 1882 in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. A handmaid disappears without trace from a Hungarian village. Soon after, members of the local Jewry are accused of murdering the girl to use her blood for ritual purposes. Hence, the small village and its dwellers become the centre of nationwide antisemitic hysteria and the trial that ensues grows into one of the biggest blood libel cases ever known in Europe.
The storyline follows multiple characters from within the accusers and the accused likewise. Yet, the main hero of The Grand Trial is MORIC SARF (15), son of the sexton of the village synagogue. Moric becomes the prosecution's crown witness after claiming to have witnessed his own father and some other Jewish men slaughter the handmaid girl. In a strange attempt at witness protection, during the investigation and the trial, Moric is placed in the safe-custody of county reeve, Antal Henter, where he undergoes a year of education that aims at transforming him into a well-kept, Christian youngster. Thus one of the main dramatic questions of the series is whether Moric can find a way back to his true identity and his father or will he forever betray his Jewish roots.
When the body of a young girl is found in the nearby river, a possible explanation surfaces. However, after the forensics and some locals find that it is not the missing handmaid's body, the accusations only grow stronger and Jewish raftsmen are arrested as well, charged with body swapping and misleading. The accused Jewry put their fate entirely at the hands of the period's star attorney and liberal MP Károly Eötvös, who not only fights to win their case but attempts at mending the broken Sarf family.
Where are we at?
Estimated production budget for the first season: 5,000.000 EUR
Financing in place: 30% tax rebate from Hungary
Development stage: Treatment, Project Bible, Moodboard
Production timeline
2021: applying to Hungarian Film Fund/script development/partnering up with co-producers
2022 Jan - April: pre-production
2022 spring/summer: shooting
2022 fall/winter: post production
2023: premiere
Looking for at CineLink Drama?
Potential co-producers from Germany/Austria/Poland/Serbia/Romania Potential broadcasters and distributors from Germany/UK/France/Scandinavia
Production company profile
CINESUPER, a full service production company based out of Budapest, Hungary delivers all production services at top industry quality, whether that’s TV commercials, TV and branded content, or music videos. Using innovative new ideas and technologies we are able to keep the prices affordable while also guaranteeing a top quality product.