Venice Debut: Road Movie Traces a 17th-Century Painting's Treacherous Voyage Through War-Torn Europe
The period road movie 'The Indies' follows a Spanish nobleman and two French soldiers transporting a royal portrait across a conflict-ridden Europe in 1652. Directed by Pauline Julier and Nicolas Chapoulier, the film uses this historical journey to explore themes of conquest, commerce, and the birth of the modern world. It premieres in the Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival on September 5.
The film marks the narrative feature debut for both Julier and Chapoulier, who previously worked in documentary and visual arts. Their production draws on a specific historical moment: the portrait of the Infanta Maria Theresa functioned as a diplomatic instrument, cementing a royal marriage alliance between France and Spain following decades of continental conflict. The directors cast Théo Urtubey, Raphaël Thiéry, and Lazare Minoungou as the three travelers whose journey through a fractured landscape mirrors the transition from medieval structures toward Enlightenment-era rationalism and early capitalist trade systems. Cinematographer Sylvain Verdet and editor Anita Roth shaped the visual and rhythmic approach, with MoreThan Films managing international distribution.
This film may resonate with contemporary audiences grappling with questions about globalization, environmental disconnection, and the costs of relentless economic expansion. By dramatizing the 17th-century origins of these forces, it could offer a reflective lens on current anxieties about modernization and humanity's relationship with nature. The Venice premiere may position it as a conversation piece for festival-goers and critics interested in historical allegory, potentially influencing how period films address present-day concerns through the language of the past.