The Epic of Gilgamesh

The foundations of the earth were laid bare by the Gods who, in their anger, destroyed the people of the Earth. Afterwards, mankind was created anew, with a King created by the gods to lead them. That King is Gilgamesh. His kingdom is Uruk. Possessed of superhuman strength and great genius, none are superior to him. And none can refuse him.

In the ancient city of Uruk, the tyrannical King Gilgamesh tramples citizens “like a wild bull.” The gods send an untamed man named Enkidu to control the ruthless King, but after fighting, Enkidu and Gilgamesh become great friends and embark on a series of adventures. They kill fearsome creatures before Enkidu dies, leaving Gilgamesh despondent and alone. Disturbed by the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh journeys to find the secret of immortality – but a soul-searching journey of startling self-discovery lies in wait for him.

Executive Producer: Beni Atoori

CYRUS NOWRASTEH is a film director and screenwriter. The Path to 9/11, a controversial ABC miniseries he wrote and produced in 2006, attracted 28 million viewers and was #1 in the Nielsen ratings.

Cyrus co-wrote and directed the indie feature, The Stoning of Soraya M., released theatrically by Lionsgate Entertainment to strong reviews in 2009. Telling the powerful true story of a woman stoned to death in Iran, the movie won prizes at film festivals around the world and was selected for many Top 10 lists. The Stoning of Soraya M., though banned and condemned by the Iranian government, was smuggled inside Iran and its positive reception forced the government to announce a moratorium on stoning. This film was followed up by The Young Messiah which he co-wrote and directed. Produced by Chris Columbus, The Young Messiah was released in 2016 by Focus Features on over 2000 screens nationwide and was the winner of three MovieGuide awards for ‘most inspiring’ film of 2016. Based on the Anne Rice novel, the film explored bold new territory in telling the fictionalized story of the childhood of Jesus — a story that had never been told before. Cyrus’s work focuses on meaty subjects and important themes.

His current projects include The Last Campaign, a visceral account of Robert Kennedy’s inspiring 1968 run for the White House, The Epic of Gilgamesh, based on the classic epic poem, and El Krim, the story of the man who defied Spain and France in 1920s Morocco with the help of the United States.

Mark Nowrasteh was born in Burbank to Cyrus Nowrasteh, a screenwriter and director, and Elizabeth, a copywriter. He received a degree in History from CSUCI in 2009, and studied under playwright Leon Martell at UCLA. Based on the strength of his first play, ‘The Emperor and the Apostle’ detailing the trial and death of Paul of Tarsus in 64 A.D., he was hired to write his first screenplay.
He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and their two children.

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THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH • VISIONARY ARTISTS
The oldest and greatest epic, Gilgamesh is King of Uruk. Endowed with great strength and genius, none can resist him. When he becomes a tyrant, his subjects pray for a savior. The gods make Enkidu to battle Gilgamesh. But the two heroes realize they must unite to face a greater nemesis, one which threatens to destroy them both.