Czech book about Cold War spy picked up by Hollywood

American film production company Fox Searchlight has bought the rights to a book by Czech journalist Jaroslav Kmenta called “Český špion or Czech Spy”, the Czech News Agency reported on Sunday. The book tells the true story of Erwin van Haarlem, a Czechoslovak Cold War secret agent whose stolen identity broke the heart of an innocent woman who thought she’d found her long-lost son.

Kmenta was approached by David Klawans, an executive producer of Argo with Ben Affleck, which won the best picture Academy Award for 2013. Fox Searchlight has also acquired right to “The Spy With No Name”, another book about the case by US author Jeff Maysh.

Author: Ruth Fraňková