Louis Hamelin, representing the troglodyte village of La Madeleine in Tursac, emphasises the film’s soft lighting, a result of Benoît Chamaillard's expertise as director of photography. Bathed in chiaroscuro, this approach recreates the lighting of candles and oil lamps that once illuminated homes. The outdoor cinematography, in turn, captures the magic of the forests, rivers, and rock shelters of the Périgord Noir. It was Louis Hamelin who provided access to the secret part of the famous prehistoric site of La Madeleine, below the medieval town. It is there, on the banks of the Vézère, that the stonemason, played by Guillaume Pottier, settles on a chestnut mat. It is there that he will save and tame a she-wolf, under the rock... in fact, very close to where indisputable evidence of early human existence was discovered. The mammoth engraved on mammoth ivory, which conclusively proved that humans lived during the time of the mammoths, as only humans draw and engrave...

The Earth is not flat, the solar system does not revolve around it, and man is not a static being created in the image of God, descended from the heavens to dominate everything. He is a mammal, a primate, bipedal, and the result of the evolution of various forms of life on Earth. A slow and continuous process that began with the formation of the Earth 4.5 billion years ago.

Jean de Commarque, representing with his sister Aude the Château de Commarque located in Les Eyzies, also emphasises the eminently cinematic quality of the episodes in this series, a quality that is clearly apparent on the big screen. "Fortune de France" is a film… that lasts six hours. And it is precisely this length that allows for an evolving exploration of the characters' psychology over time. The whole is driven, or rather carried away, by the original music composed and orchestrated by Arthur Simonini, whose main theme is here. It is reminiscent of the baroque style of Henry Purcell and the lyrical universe of Jean-Philippe Rameau.

Vidéo

Jean-Julien Delautre, representing Château de Fénelon, which in this series plays the role of Château de Mespech, the stronghold of the Siorac clan, notes the well-thought-out selection of each element of the set, giving strength and credibility to the story. This is a highly appreciated tribute, especially given that Jean-Julien Delautre is an art historian, a specialist in ancient weapons, and a member of the National Chamber of Experts in Works of Art and Collectibles.

Everything is finely placed here and perfectly "archaeo-compatible", as prehistorians say. Another asset that makes a difference is the use of accessible yet polished language, tinged with vernacular phrases and Occitan vocabulary, delivered with precision and… delight by the actors. And as nothing was left to chance, the writing on parchments or apothecary bottle labels was accomplished thanks to the advice of calligrapher Alyssia Banon. On set, she taught the actors her knowledge of medieval script.

It should be noted that the adaptation of Robert Merle’s work, signed by Christopher Thomson and Fabrice Roger-Lacan, screenwriter and playwright, also benefited from the input of Baptiste Roger-Lacan, a historian by training.

Director Christopher Thomson naturally received these compliments with pride and joy. It must be said that he had dreamt of creating this series ever since he read Robert Merle’s thirteen novels composing the "Fortune de France" saga as a teenager.

An actor, screenwriter, and director, his experience in the film industry allowed him to assemble the perfect team to serve this personal and universal project. It was Thierry Bordes, head of the Périgord Film Office, who guided Christopher Thomson and Jean Cottin to make decisive location scouting trips in Périgord in the autumn of 2022. As the director explains:

"We discovered many of these sites that resonated in my imagination with everything I had envisioned while reading Robert Merle’s books. We built our story around these blocks: the Châteaux de Fénelon, Beynac, Bories, and Biron. We wanted to ground our actors in reality. That way, they could wear their costumes and live in their roles’ settings."

The director and producer, following these scouting trips, firmly defended their desire to work on natural sets.

""Moving a crew, feeding them, housing them is more expensive than working in a studio with a green screen***. That was the price to pay for this 16th-century story to truly come to life through the settings and characters." Indeed, it makes all the difference to be sitting by a grand castle fireplace to deliver your lines.

Both of them continued: "Our wish now is for this Franco-Périgourdine story to travel. The most intimate stories are the ones that appeal to the widest audience. By looking at the France of yesterday, we can speak about the France of today. There are indeed many parallels between these two eras: the plague epidemic and the Covid pandemic, Gutenberg’s revolution (printing) and the digital revolution (Internet), the ongoing struggle for women's emancipation today, and religious intolerance that is again tightening, leading people to kill each other in the name of God."

"Fortune de France" also invites us to question what is ambivalent in each of us. The Chevalier de Siorac, a doctor, humanist, and someone who seeks a scientific and reasoned approach, nevertheless imposes his Reformed religion on his family and servants, showing himself to be intolerant. The religious war thus transforms into a domestic war. Hell is truly paved with good intentions.

And if, to have peace, we stopped telling ourselves stories of origin?
To go further: Is the question of origin, deep down, a bad question? Discussion around the film *The Birth of Prehistory* by Sophie Cattoire. https://www.tardiglobe.info/l-origine-existe-t-elle.html

Sophie Cattoire
Journalist, Senior Reporter
FERRASSIE TV