As notorious as she is famous, centuries of Roman propaganda and decades of Hollywood clichés have painted a picture of Cleopatra that has lasted for millennia: a ruthless, fearless leader; a bloodthirsty murderer; a power-hungry seductress. But Cleopatra isn’t who we think. After thousands of years, new discoveries, ground-breaking science and game-changing archaeology are rewriting history. Searching For Cleopatra challenges current thinking and takes a new look the most iconic ruler of all time. With exclusive access to the recent expedition by leading Cleopatra archaeologist, Dr Kathleen Martinez, Arrow Media, Rezolution and Handel Productions were on site, filming the excavations as they happened, as Dr Martinez followed her quest to unlock the secrets of Cleopatra and her world.
Lucie Ridout, Executive Producer, Arrow Media, says: “For over a decade, Dr Kathleen Martinez has challenged the established beliefs about Cleopatra. It was a privilege to be part of her expedition to Taposiris Magna, where she has already uncovered an entire necropolis in her search for the truth about this iconic Egyptian queen. Arrow Media’s reputation is built on combining ground-breaking discoveries, scientific insight and human stories to create programmes which inform and excite the world. This story is no exception.”
Alan Handel, Founder, Handel Productions, adds: “Our reputation is built on a history of great storytelling and creating innovative, entertaining television. We are delighted to be partnering with Arrow Media on this project and we expect the film to have huge global appeal.”
Searching For Cleopatra has been commissioned in two different, 60-minute versions. CBC’s version will be narrator-led, whereas Channel 5’s version will include a presenter.
Searching For Cleopatra is produced by Executive Producer by Lucie Ridout for Arrow Media, with Tom Brisley as Creative Director; with Executive Producers Catherine Bainbridge for Rezolution Pictures and Alan Handel for Handel Productions. Fremantle is distributing internationally.