Paul Pawlowski

Montaperti Paul Pawlowski

Note: This is a 121-page screenplay, not a novel. In the year 1260, the city-state of Florence was about to engage their neighbor, Siena, in yet another war. Historically, Florence's formidable armies were no match for the underfunded Sienese forces; however, this year would be different. Siena, flush with finances, but short on defense, requested assistance from King Manfred of Sicily (aligned with the Kingdom of Germany). More than happy to oblige, for a fee, Manfred discreetly dispatched 800 of his best German mercenary knights to assist in protecting Siena and its civilian population. At sunrise on the morning of September 4, 1260, the David vs. Goliath battle began when 19,000 Sienese soldiers, along with the 800 German mercenaries, surprised 35,000 Florentine soldiers in the Montaperti valley near the town of Siena. Twenty-four hours later, Siena decimated the Florentine army claiming victory in what became the bloodiest day of the Italian Middle Ages. "Montaperti" is an action-adventure fictional account of how a mercenary knight general who, after vowing never to raise his sword again, was coerced into leading 800 mercenary knights into battle alongside Sienese army against overwhelming odds. Accolades:
Best MFA Thesis Script (Feature) - DePaul University
Top 1% - American Zoetrope
Top 10% - Academy Nicholl Fellowship