Le Radeau de la Méduse

The Raft of the Medusa ( French Le Radeau de la Méduse ) is a French film ( from 1987 to 1991, premiere 1998) by Iradj Azimi, who tells the story behind the picture of the same name by the French painter Théodore Géricault.

Action

The film depicts the shipwreck of the frigate Méduse in 1816. The new governor of Senegal travel with this as its new territory. The stubborn captain Chaumareys, a Royalist, who was no longer at sea for 25 years, throws caution to the wind. Even the shipping ignorant governor 's wife Reine Schmaltz doubted his strategy and realizes that he's only for his honor. The objection of Madame Schmaltz zertreut Chaumareys with a reference that would not exist on the map showed Islands.

Captain Chaumareys eventually caused the shipwreck on a sandbank in the amount of the Banc d' Arguin off the coast of Mauritania. On board placed algae amuse Chaumareys, the family Schmaltz and scientists Richefort, but the ship is running on now due. The privileged passengers, including the governor Julien Schmaltz and his family, save in sloops, 147 people are taken on a raft, which is towed by the lifeboats. As Chaumareys requires the cutting off of ropes and Richefort these cuts with an ax, they drive out to the open sea.

This is followed by hunger and thirst. The men kill out the canteen woman, because a woman would bring misfortune on board. A second woman who is blind falls into the water and also dies. It follows cannibalism: First female flesh is eaten, later the meat of young men at the end of the flesh of all men who die: Team Champion Correard also gives the doctor Savigny, the chronicler of events is later, human flesh. Savigny accepts.

Only after 12 days they are discovered and rescued from the ship Parnajon. In the end, survive only five men - among them Coudein officer, team champion Correard and the doctor Savigny - martyrdom. The painter Théodore Géricault they visit upon their return, the work begins to write his famous painting " The Raft of the Medusa".

Background

In 1998, the film Le radeau de la Méduse of Iradj Azimi in the French cinema. Azimi shot the film from 1987 to 1991 ( of Hurricane Hugo destroyed the replica of the ship in front of Guadeloupe in September 1989, so that the rotation delaying it), but legal problems delayed a theatrical release and Azimi wanted the film to the transmitter antenna 2 not for television broadcasting leave. During a demonstration in the Ministry of Culture in 1997, to the director, among others was supported by Claude Jade, Laurent Terzieff and Marcel Marceau, he cut his wrists, but could be saved. Minister of Culture Catherine Trautmann promised help and the film opened in the summer of 1998 - after eleven years of existence on the " sandbar ".

In 1994, the film on the initiative of Claude Lelouch and other colleagues Azimis a sneak preview in a cinema in the neighborhood. France 2 also showed in 1995 a three-part TV version of three parts of 90 minutes each.

1998 in film Screenplay Film score Carl Davis Fictional film
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