SACRED WINDS TELEVISION PITCH
Story and Screenplay © By Roger Cottrell and David Collins
Tag Line
The Night Manager meets Syriana and Jason Bourne
Log Line
An Iranian born former British soldier finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy to import nuclear weapons technology into an Arab Gulf country in the grip of the Arab Spring. Romantically involved with a Palestinian scientist and political activist and reluctantly coerced into working for MI6 he finds himself in a race against time to avert catastrophe and save the woman he loves.
Synopsis
Iranian born Michael Bebehani is a war hero. He saved the life of fellow British soldier O’Callaghan in Basra during the 2003 Iraq War. Yet after he testified, against O’Callaghan, at a war crimes trial at The Old Bailey, he was effectively shunned by the military community of which he was once a part. Then, years later, he sees his PhD funding withdrawn when he starts to tell the Foreign Office and GCC funded think tank that supports his research things they don’t want to hear. Fluent in Arabic and Farsi, he is reduced to working as a rep for a hi-tech company in Spain. These sell water desalination components to a Gulf Arab State in the throes of Arab Spring inspired unrest.
Indeed, all is far from well in the country which Michael now has to visit at his company’s behest. For a start the Emiir’s brother, concerned that the Emir is too soft on dissent, is intriguing against him with the Gulf Shield Corporation comprised of private mercenary contractors. Prominent among these is O’Callaghan, involved in false flag terror attacks accredited to Iranian backed rebels. For another, inspired by a Right wing American President and substantial arms sales, the company is ramping up for war with Iran. But Michael’s troubles really begin the moment he arrives in the country. Hosted by Anoush, an Iranian homosexual whose family (like Michael’s) fled the Islamic Revolution, and watched by Anoush’s sinister Driver, he is taken to the desert facility where he meets Leila, a beautiful Palestinian scientist with whom he soon becomes romantically involved. But Leila is secretly part of the democracy protests and discloses that the water desalination facility might not be all it appears. Then, the pair of them are arrested at a demonstration and released only by the intervention of an angry Anoush.
When Michael returns to England he is delivered a further bombshell after he is pulled in and interrogated by MI6. He is told that the technology involved in water desalination is a dual technology also involved in the production of heavy water for nuclear bombs. In other words, Michael has unwittingly been trafficking in nuclear weapons technology. With some reluctance, Michael is then coerced into returning to the country just as the state crackdown on democracy protests intensifies. But O’Callaghan is now aware that Michael is in the country and Leila is a de facto prisoner in the nuclear facility itself. Then, Michael’s MI6 handler is murdered by O’Callaghan in another false flag terror outrage and Michael is now a fugitive in the country (he is Iranian and a Shia) accused of being linked to the non-existent terrorist group. As the Emir’s brother stages a coup, Michael coerces Anoush into helping him and they try to rescue Leila from the desert facility just as O’Callaghan’s team attack it in another false flag. With Leila badly irradiated, Michael escapes and they head for the coast and a prearranged pick up by SBS or JSOC forces. An irradiated and deranged O’Callaghan is also hot on their tail. But Michael has been disavowed by MI6 and branded a terrorist even by his former PhD supervisor, so what kind of reception awaits him when he gets there?
What Schedule best suits this drama?
Post 9.00 pm watershed drama. This story contains violent and disturbing material and strong language.
Would there be accompanying digital media aspects?
Quite probably. The Middle Eastern backdrop to the story is factual and there is plenty of scope for online forums and webisode interviews.
Who would watch this program?
Fans of The Night Manager and of topical political thrillers in general.
Why should this program be made at this time?
Everyone is looking for a successor program to The Night Manager and this could be it – especially with the drumbeats for war with Iran coming out of Riyadh and Washington. Also, the privatization of warfare is, or should be, a hot topic at the moment. Finally, with Homeland, Spooks and 24 all off the air the time for a top notch political thriller is now.