Francofonia (2015)

A history of the Louvre during the Nazi occupation and a meditation on the meaning and timelessness of art.

Director:

Aleksandr Sokurov

Writer:

Aleksandr Sokurov

Stars:

Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath, Vincent Nemeth

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing	...	Jacques Jaujard
Benjamin Utzerath	...	Franz Wolff-Metternich
Vincent Nemeth	...	Napoléon Bonaparte
Johanna Korthals Altes	...	Marianne
Andrey Chelpanov
Jean-Claude Caër
Aleksandr Sokurov	...	(voice) (as Alexandre SOKOUROV)
Francois Smesny	...	(voice)
Peter Lontzek	...	(voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Catherine Limbert	...	La secrétaire de Jacques Jaujard
Léolo	...	Groom service

Storyline

A history of the Louvre during the Nazi occupation and a meditation on the meaning and timelessness of art.

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Plot Keywords:

military uniform | french liberation | reference to jeanne boitel | actress | revealing someone's future | 

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Taglines:

The remarkable true story of the Louvre under Nazi occupation.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official site [UK]

Country:

France Germany Netherlands

Language:

Russian French German English

Release Date:

11 November 2015 (France)

Also Known As:

Le Louvre sous l'Occupation

Filming Locations:

Musée du Louvre, Paris 1, Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,083, 3 April 2016

Gross USA:

$307,040

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,008,154

Company Credits

Production Co:

Idéale Audience, Zero One Film, N279 Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During production, this film was often rumored to be shot in a single take, making it an ideal sequel to Aleksandr Sokurov's previous 'museum film', Russian Ark (2002). Eventually, a more traditional editing technique was chosen by Sokurov to tell the story.

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Soundtracks

Kindertotenlieder
Written by Gustav Mahler

User Reviews

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite

Director Sokurov eschews the usual form for this type of film, which would be documentary, in favor of a sort of historical drama. It switches back and forth from the present era to WWII to the 18th century. It is an attempt to explain the history of The Louvre by integrating several different phases in its existence; The acquisition of much of the artwork by Napoleon in his conquests, transporting it out of harms way before the Nazi occupation, and a contemporary recap of the logistics and hazards involved in each phase.

Can I be frank? I found the whole exercise somewhat confusing. I would get the gist of a particular scenario, only to have the director switch gears and move to another era and another circumstance, and having to readjust my focus and concentration on this new problem (where are we now?, I kept asking myself). I enjoyed glimpses of the Great Hall, the Mona Lisa and several other treasures that go to make The Louvre the epicenter of western culture. All I was asking was a little clarity.

Maybe he just could have made it a documentary.