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God's Soldiers - Siege of Malta

In the mid-16th Century, a long running conflict between two of the most powerful world religions is building up to a climactic battle in the Mediterranean. Facing each other are the knights of the Order of St. John, a small but formidable and fanatical Christian military Order and the Muslim Janissaries, the fearsome crack troops of Suleyman the Magnificent.

The drama-led documentary is told through the eyes of two fictional but historically accurate characters.

Hasan is a 14-year-old Anatolian farmer’s son who is pressganged into the Sultan’s army. In Turkey, Hasan is converted to Islam before being trained as an elite Janissary soldier in Constantinople. His soon to be arch-rival Raymonde is a 15-year-old French noble, sent to the Order of St. John in Malta by his ambitious parents to become a knight and seafarer. Trained to fight in the name of God, and Allah they will meet on the battlefield. Only one of them will survive the historic Siege of Malta in 1565.

Co-produced by ZDF, Arte, ORF with support by Malta Film Commission and Creative Europe MEDIA. Confirmed sales to Ceska TV and Rai Uno. 2021 Co-Production by Urban Canyons (UK) und Parker Films (Malta). Available as 1x91min or 2x52min 4K.

  • Kostas Koutsoliotas
    Director
    The Winter, Hypnos
  • Elizabeth E. Schuch
    Director
    Birdy
  • Sebastian Peiter
    Writer
    Samurai Headhunters, Epic Warrior Women
  • Sebastian Peiter
    Producer
    Samurai Headhunters, Epic Warrior Women
  • Paul Parker
    Producer
    The Obscure Life of the Grand Duke of Corsica
  • Richard Melman
    Producer
    Night Will Fall
  • Rudy Emanuel Catania
    Key Cast
    "Janissary Hasan"
  • Davide Tucci
    Key Cast
    "Knight Raymonde"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Soldaten Gottes
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature, Television
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 31 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 18, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    550,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Austria, Malta, Turkey, United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English, German, Italian, Maltese, Turkish
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • ORF
    Vienna
    Austria
    December 18, 2020
    Austria Premiere
  • Viasat World
    Warsaw
    April 4, 2021
    Premiere Russia, Poland, Central Asia
  • Rai
    Rome
    Italy
    Accepted Rai offer in April 2021
  • Arte
    Mainz, Paris
    France
    Delivered Masters to Arte
  • ZDF Info
    Mainz
    Germany
    Delivered Master, will show after Arte TX
  • Ceska TV
    Prague
    Czech Republic
    Signed contract
Distribution Information
  • Urban Canyons
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director - Kostas Koutsoliotas, Elizabeth E. Schuch