Among the countless personal and cultural
tragedies that unfolded during WWII, one
potential loss—the desecration of the Louvre
in Paris—was mercifully averted thanks to an
unlikely and remarkable partnership between
two enemies. During the tumultuous Nazi
Occupation, with the museum at risk of being
ransacked, the German officer assigned
to seize the museum’s treasures defied his
superiors. His actions, and those of the Louvre’s
head administrator, ultimately ensured
the survival of the museum’s priceless artifacts.
The retelling of the duo’s story is just
one of many breathtaking threads Aleksandr
Sokurov (“Russian Ark”) weaves into this
tapestry of art, history, and filmmaking.
Featuring stunning aerial shots of Paris,
and whimsical fantasy sequences of art, not
to mention the ghost of Napoleon coming to
life, this enthralling and visionary tribute to
the spirit of civilization is unlike anything you
have ever seen, or will ever see again.