September 2018

Synchronicity Films to Bring The Tattooist of Auschwitz to the Screen

Synchronicity Films, producer of the soon to be broadcast drama, The Cry, can today announce that it has secured the rights to Heather Morris’s bestselling novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and is already in development as a multi-part, high-end international drama series.

Synchronicity, a DRG-backed producer, has also attached Jacquelin Perske to adapt Morris’s best-selling book, developing their ongoing relationship. Perske wrote the screenplay for Synchronicity’s forthcoming BBC One drama The Cry, adapting it from the eponymously titled novel.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz series is in advanced development with Sky Atlantic.

First published by imprints Echo and Zaffre – part of Bonnier Books UK – in January 2018, The Tattooist of Auschwitz has gone on to receive huge critical acclaim, selling 12 million copies in the English language to date. It has reached Number 1 in many of the 32 international territories in which it has been sold and has remained in the top 10 fiction hardbacks on The Sunday Times bestsellers list for over 25 weeks. It has gone straight to Number 4 in The New York Times bestsellers list in its first week of publication in the US and to Number 4 in Canada.

Based on a powerful, heart-breaking true story, it tells of Lale Sokolov, a Jewish prisoner who was given the job of tattooing identification numbers on prisoners’ arms in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War Two. One day, he meets Gita while she is waiting in line to be tattooed and they experience love at first sight. And so began one of the most life-affirming, courageous, unforgettable and human stories of the Holocaust, and a tale of the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.

Claire Mundell, founder and creative director at Synchronicity Films, struck the deal for the book rights with CAA, representing Bonnier Books UK. Mundell comments: “We are beyond thrilled to have secured the rights to this incredibly brilliant, confronting and uplifting book. I fell in love with it within a few pages and was desperate to bring it to the screen, to reach the widest audience possible for this unforgettable story. There was a huge amount of interest in this title and I am grateful that Heather Morris, Bonnier Books UK and CAA responded so well to our vision for the story.”

Author, Heather Morris adds: “Lale Sokolov placed a great deal of trust in me when he first shared his story. I am now passing that baton on and am so pleased that Synchronicity Films was successful in negotiating for the rights. Claire and her colleagues have an obvious passion for my book and have demonstrated clear sensitivity to producing a real person’s story. I know Lale will be smiling down at this new phase of his and Gita’s story.”

Kate Parkin, Managing Director of Adult Trade, Bonnier Books UK comments: “The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a deeply personal story, with universal themes of courage, love and survival. Synchronicity Films was committed to this book from our very first conversation; they had a clear strategy and fully embraced the responsibilities of bringing this story to the small screen. We are delighted that Claire and her team have been successful in securing the rights and we will follow the series development with great interest.”