After a year of delay due to the pandemic, the shooting of The Mercator Trail started on Monday the 14th of June. This contemporary adventure film revolves around Benjamin and the Dutch Slien, two young people played by Nathan Naenen (wtFOCK, Kattenoog) and Britt Scholte (Kattenoog, Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden). They are swept along by an old adventurer, who calls himself Zeppos, into a historical adventure in the wake of the Medieval scientist Mercator. Carry Goossens (Code 37, Professor T) takes on the role of the legendary Captain Zeppos, the main character from the iconic VRT TV series from the 1960s. This series was rebroadcast over many generations and was one of the first foreign successes of Flemish fiction.
In addition, we also find Koen De Bouw (Het Vonnis, De Premier), Nora Gharib (Patser) and Carlos Schram (Red Light) in important roles. The screenplay is inspired by the character “Kapitein Zeppos” by Louis De Groof and is written by Wouter Van Haver (Cool Abdoul). Douglas Boswell (Labyrinthus, Buck) is the director. Peter Bouckaert and Nathalie Van Schelvergem of Eyeworks Film & TV Drama are producing the film.
The Mercator Trail is an exciting adventure film for the whole family and is set in the present. The film is based on historical facts and revolves around the reliability of digital information versus scientific/historical sources.
Synopsis:
When the digital mad Benjamin turns 18, he inherits a box of ancient artefacts from his missing father. He gives an antique book to Slien, the girl he has his eye on, and unintentionally sets a chain reaction in motion. An old man called Zeppos is also very interested in the book which once belonged to the cartographer Mercator. Using the secret messages in Mercator’s book, the trio uncover the mystery while having to stay one step ahead of a mysterious rival.
The Mercator Trail is a production of Eyeworks Film & TV Drama, in co-production with Phanta Basta (NL) and VRT/Eén, with the collaboration of Streamz. The film is made with the support of the Flemish Audiovisual Fund and Flanders Image, Screen Flanders, Telenet, the Belgian tax shelter for film financing, The Netherlands Film Production Incentive and in collaboration with SCIO Productions and Kinepolis Film Distribution. This production was realized with the support of the Flemish emergency fund corona of the Flemish government and the Guarantee Fund for the Flemish independent audiovisual production sector.
The Mercator Trail will be distributed by Kinepolis Film Distribution (KFD) and is expected to hit Belgium and Dutch cinemas in the spring of 2022.