A film broadcast on Friday and Saturday at the cinema reveals the solutions to the puzzles of the golden owl, the longer treasure hunt in France. And reveals the location of the cache where the treasure had been buried for 31 years.
It is the last chapter of a treasure hunt that lasted just over 31 years. The solutions to the eleven puzzles of the golden owl – a treasure hunt launched in 1993 which ended on October 2 last – were revealed these Friday and Saturday at the film in the film The discovery of the golden owl. A map losing the 400 sessions is available here.
“It is an action, adventure and investigation documentary,” announced to BFMTV.com Alexandre Largeron, the director of the film.
The great golden finally found? The incredible story of a treasure hunt over 30 years old
“Like Indiana Jones”
The film gives the floor to the discoverers of the treasure, two people living abroad, one owner for more than twenty years, the other more recent. There is also Michel Becker there, the artist author of the paintings accompanying the puzzles designed by Max Valentin. Michel Becker also imagined and financed the treasure and resumed the reins of the game in 2021 after the death of Max Valentin.
“The film unties each of the knots and pulls the thread. But it is also a tribute to the owners (the name given to those who participated in the treasure hunt, editor’s note)”, adds Alexandre Largeron.
The film indeed shows eight owners. Some of them have devoted years to this quest, the second longer treasure hunt in the history of treasure hunts. “The great golden, for them, is not just a just board game, it goes far beyond. Like Indiana Jones, it is the taste for adventure and a kind of horizon.”
“Live the game to the spectators”
During the three decades of play, the number of owners was estimated around 200,000, up to “a million” affirms to BFMTV.com Michel Becker, who takes into account short -term players.
If the film retraces the adventure of La Chouette d’Or from its beginnings, it is through the point of view of those who played there, warns its director. “How did they turn to this game? What did they find there? What hung them? How did they experience the different adventures?”
Because twists and turns, the great gold has known. From the death of its author Max Valentin to the bankruptcy of the house editing the book of the puzzles, passing by the seizure of the treasure: a chouette sculpture in silver and gold set with ruby and diamonds estimated at 150,000 euros. All followed by the attempted sale at the auction of the owl by Michel Becker and finally his recovery in the game in 2021.
But Alexandre Largeron specifies that the story of the game is not really the subject of the film. “We bring the game to life to the spectators, we bring the passion of players to life, from the course of the quest through the resolution of the puzzles and to the final find.”
-A night shoot so as not to be spotted
Because the film indeed reveals the location where the treasure was buried, or rather the countermark giving the right. Asked about this point, Michel Becker refuses to say more, preserving the mystery. Could it be Dabo, this big town of Moselle located between Strasbourg and Nancy racked by holes, as many owners believe?
“It is obvious that Dabo is part of the game,” he replied evasive.
A secret that has remained whole so far. “It was very well kept since even their families (those of the winners, editor’s note) are not aware of their discovery,” says Michel Becker on BFMTV. This also imposed a certain logistics on the shooting team.
“We had to take precautions,” says Alexandre Largeron. Night shooting, taking care not to be spotted or followed … “We have even voluntarily omitted to communicate certain information to certain interlocutors” so that the mystery is not fanned. “It was not a trivial shoot.”
“Many people have tried to extort information from us.”
“We expect a few reactions”
Solutions eagerly awaited by players. Since the announcement of the discovery of the countermark seven months ago, they have died. “I can’t wait to know them,” gets impatient for bfmtv.com Kaspius, naughty for twenty-seven years. He himself is part of the camp of “Daboists”, that is to say those convinced that the countermark was hidden in Dabo. A theory that Alain refutes, an offender of the first hour.
“I am convinced that I have found the right place since 1994,” he said at BFMTV.com.
In this case: on the side of Saint-Just-D’Avray, in the Rhône, whose inhabitants are called the owls. Zadko Presco, naughty for only two years, is waiting for “confirmation that I was in the right area”, he hopes for bfmtv.com. For its part, it would rather be on the side of Bourges.
The projection promises to be “intense” and full of emotions for the owners and owners who may have to get used to the idea that their tracks were not the right ones. “We expect a few reactions to certain passages,” says Alexandre Largeron. Or even “shocks”.
For those who could not go to the cinema, a PDF of the solutions to the puzzles must be disseminated and the book of solutions – which some have already pre -order – must appear in June.
