• TRADING LIFE is 6 episode international serie based on real life events that took place in 2011.

 

We are currently looking for funding and coproduction partners.

 

The Story

On March 23 2011, seven Estonian tourists on bicycles were kidnapped in Lebanon. They were kidnapped in the Beqaa Valley, simultaneously with the first events of the Arab Spring. Lebanon and the surrounding countries were in disarray. A kidnapping in the midst of the Arab Spring and war in Syria was the worst combination for the investigators. At the same time, Americans were hunting Osama Bin Laden, which further complicated the hostage crisis. Corruption in Lebanon together with political rivalry created a situation where Estonian intelligence officers could not trust anybody and the Western countries were not able to help, because nobody wanted a likely bloody-ending tragedy of a third country hostage crisis on their conscience.

The situation continued from March 23 until July 11. This chain of events, based on a true story, is still shrouded in secrecy, but with the help of several people who were connected with the Lebanon hostage crisis we have had an opportunity to delve into details of the events that took place during these four months. We will now tell the story.

“Trading life” is a story of rescuing seven men. It is also a story of a small country’s internal security service and intelligence officers securing a rare win – all the hostages were brought back alive. But the journey to their freedom was slow and tricky. And top secret.