Exactly ten years ago, I wrote the screenplay for The Print, a mystery thriller in the vein of The Da Vinci Code.
The film tells the story of Frank, a genius photographer who discovers that film negatives contain more than just an image—they hold a fragment of space-time. He is the only photographer in the world capable of unlocking the full potential of photographic negatives, allowing him to reproduce this space-time on paper. His prints have the extraordinary effect of immersing the viewer in the precise moment and place where the photo was taken.
An Italian art historian named Clara begins to wonder: what effect would one of Frank’s photos have on the Shroud of Turin, believed to be a negative image of the crucified Christ? Would it prove that Jesus was resurrected? Or, on the contrary, would it reveal that he was merely mortal? This revelation sparks intense controversy within the Catholic Church, and soon, Frank’s safety is at risk. With Clara's help, he must complete the print before religious extremists catch up with him.
Produced by the Belgian company Climax Films, The Print was a co-production between Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy, with an estimated budget of €9 million. The screenplay was written in just four weeks and was met with immediate enthusiasm—French investors, Italian co-producers, television networks… everyone wanted to see the film come to life! There were, however, some reservations about the main characters lacking depth, which I acknowledged.
Location scouting began in Italy, spanning Turin, Rome, and several towns in Lazio. At that point, only a few final adjustments were needed to make the script ready for production—minor refinements that should have taken days, perhaps weeks at most. But instead, the project fell into development hell. For reasons that remain unclear, after three grueling years of rewrites and heated debates, the Belgian producer decided to put the film on indefinite hold—much to the dismay of the co-producers… and myself.
Even years later, I still don’t understand what led to this breakdown. To this day, the film remains in limbo, awaiting a hypothetical revival.
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