Orange Smarty Secures Financing for Cursed Treasures

Orange Smarty has brought together international partners to finance the new history/mystery documentary series Cursed Treasures from Welsh indie Monster Films.

Billed as a real-life take on Raiders of the Lost Ark, the 10×45-minute series attempts to untangle the myths from the facts behind famously ill-fated treasures, including Tutankhamun’s tomb, the Hope Diamond and the Terracotta Army. The show is co-funded and distributed by Orange Smarty, and international partners include A+E Networks UK, Foxtel Australia and Viasat World.

Karen Young, CEO of Orange Smarty, said: “Much like the experts searching for the truth behind these doomed treasures, Orange Smarty’s job is to search out returning IP that rings true with global audiences and broadcasters. Bringing together history, archaeology, science, cultural mythology and mesmerizing storytelling, Cursed Treasures is a rare example of a show that delivers on every front. We knew it had the makings of a hit the moment we saw it—and the quality of our presales partners indicates that the market agrees with us.”

Rik Hall, executive producer for Monster Films, said: “We are excited to partner with Orange Smarty on Cursed Treasures. From the outset, the team there embraced the originality of the concept and its inherent appeal to the international market. It feels like it has all the hallmarks of a series which could run and run.”

Dan Korn, executive producer for A+E Networks UK, said: “Cursed Treasures is a typically imaginative and compelling storytelling approach from Monster Films, to some of the most enduring archaeological and artifactual mysteries of our time. From the fascination with Egyptian tombs and the famous artwork which depicts the tormented souls of some of the world’s greatest artists, to the ill-gotten gems and rubies, which even today decorate the Crowned Heads of Europe, this series is a journey into the sinister world of archaeological adventurism and opportunism.”