Giacomo Gex’s “The Treasure Hunter,” which had its world premiere this week in the Newcomers Competition at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, follows the director’s best friend, Jack, as he searches for treasure in the Philippines. It’s a tale reminiscent of Werner Herzog’s “Fitzcarraldo.” Variety debuts the trailer here.
According to local legend, during World War II the Japanese Army took booty they had looted from across South-East Asia to the Philippines and buried it at various locations. Jack, funded by his father, decided to join the many treasure hunters on the archipelago. “The Treasure Hunter” follows Jack as he plows millions of dollars into this quixotic search, digging at various sites, based on local rumors.
Although many of the scenes in the jungle were shot underground in caves and in shafts dug in the hope they would lead…
