Script File

Lord Of War: Pilot Episode, Blessings

Lord of War is an historical drama series that follows the life of Zumbi, a 17th Century Brazilian warrior king, the last to rule its vast jungle nation of fugitive slaves know as Palmares. This time in history is in constant upheaval - politics, war, marauding, the slave trade and the Inquisition are some of the difficulties our hero endures.
The pilot episode, Blessings, introduces us to Zumbi as an adolescent known by his Christian name, Francisco. For his entire life, Francisco has been a ward of the church in the colony of Porto Calvo, Brazil. He has been raised by a progressive-thinking priest who teaches him to read the classics and history. He is well versed in Latin, speaks proper Portuguese, and serves as an altar boy. The priest uses the boy as an example (to the White slave holders) of the potential in Blacks beyond slavery. Francisco has no connection to Palmares, the jungle nation, from which he was kidnapped as a baby. His place in his own life is a mystery to him. He is caught between the slaves (for whom he has sympathy) and the Whites he mimics. He is resented by both. Naturally curious about his origins, he romanticizes the jungle nation, but also fears the “savages.” Everything becomes more complicated when Francisco falls in love with the mayor’s daughter.

  • Melissa Torriero
    Writer
    Objects Of Time, Henry & Ethos, Prompt, Acquiescense, Objects in the Mirror
  • Glenn Alan Cheney
    Writer
    Author of more than 25 books, hundreds of articles, many stories, op-ed essays, and poems
  • Project Type:
    Television Script
  • Number of Pages:
    48
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • ReelHeART International Screenplay and TV Pilot Competition

    Finalist
  • Skye Scripts International Screenplay Contest 2017

    Official Selection
Writer Biography - Melissa Torriero, Glenn Alan Cheney

A three time veteran of the 48 Hour Film Project, Melissa Torriero has produced and/or written short films winning: Best Writing, Best Film, and Audience Favorite. She twice produced shorts for The Women Only Project of which the 2015 anthology was an official selection of the Stories by The River Film Festival and was awarded Outstanding Achievement at the Shawna Shea Film Festival. Melissa lives in Connecticut with her two sons.

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Writer Statement

I was approached by Glenn Alan Cheney, a professional writer and friend who also lives in Connecticut, to help him write a feature film based on an historical novel he was working on. He had already written a history on this subject called, Quilombo dos Palmares: Brazil's Lost Nation of Fugitive Slaves. It occurred to me that this story would make an exciting episodic drama along the lines of Netflix's Marco Polo or The History Channel's Vikings. While Glenn continues to work on the novel, we are looking for a company to do this series with special consideration for Afro-Brazilian cast and crew.