WAR, DRAMA

Canev is brought from his family farm to hide out in Warsaw with his father. They seek family in the ghetto but Canev is soon on his own taking care of his neighbor and her half-blind mother. Canev, as a young Jew, has to fight to survive to be kept out of the camps. He feels guilty using his cunningness but soon learns that fighting for himself helps others survive in the grand scheme of things.

FAIR

THIRD PERSON

Authors Writing Style: GOOD

Characterization: FAIR

Commerciality: GOOD

Franchise Potential: FAIR

Pace: FAIR

Premise: FAIR

Structure: GOOD

Theme: EXCELLENT

The book profile's short summary, character details, and development pitch are pretty spot on when it comes to reflecting the narrative. The logline is repeated in the development pitch and feels a bit to vague to give a clear understanding of what the protagonist's goal and inner conflict of the story is. In explaining Canev's need to survive in the Warsaw ghetto during WWII and how it conflicts with his inner morals to not be selfish, the logline may better summarize the plot of the story rather than express a theme and abstract idea.

Canev and Sophia are a unique lesser explored part of the Jewish experience during WWII outside of the concentration camps, who were too young to fight but old enough to resist and needed to help others survive. They bear adult responsibilities on their shoulders in an unwinnable scenario without the proper tools.

While the side characters are somewhat dimensional, their transformation is unclear therefore most appear static. Most people's goal is to survive, but not all of the nuances that they struggle with internally as shown as differentiated.

THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

The hook is that Canev loses his family and most of the adults in his life. Therefore at 15 he must become part of the resistance in order to protect the remaining community. Sometimes he is brave enough but he remains quite young.

This could have a large fanbase based on the fresh perspective of staying in Warsaw during WWII as Jew and the unique age of the protagonist to have such responsibilities and capabilities in the city.

This could potentially have awards potential given its unique themes, emotional range of the characters due to war and that war dramas and holocaust dramas often gain attention when well-produced.

MEDIUM BUDGET

RESISTANCE, DUNKIRK, AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS, EUROPA EUROPA, SON OF SAUL

The originality stems from the Polish Jewish perspective of those who didn't fight in the war nor did they get sent to concentration camps. Showing more perspectives such as Sophies and her mothers may help create even further uniqueness as it is still largely a story about men in the war and the women characters aren't as developed.

Canev is loyal, cunning and guilt-ridden. Sophie is practical, hopeful and constant. Vincent is wily and adaptable.

This has a rare perspective with a lot of gems in terms of themes, but could benefit from slightly more character development and quicker pacing as well as some variation in the common goal motivations.

Film: Streaming, Indie, Studio

WORK IN PROGRESS

While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.

Adding variations to the motivations to survive and reflections on surviving guilt in the ghetto with the side character could help them feel more dynamic. Clarifying Canev's goal and inner conflict sooner will also help the beginning feel quicker as well as more proactive rather than reactive to the onslaught of war tragedies.