Elephant March in Phnom Penh

synopsis

Elephants carrying riders pass before the camera in Phnom Penh, as their slow, majestic movements set the rhythm of the shot. This travelogue attraction combines the observation of animals with the spectacle of a ceremonial procession, recalling how the European camera shaped perceptions of an exotic world.

biography

Gabriel Veyre (1871–1936), a French pharmacist, photographer and cinematographer for the Lumière company, filmed in Mexico, the Caribbean, Japan, China and French Indochina. His films combine travelogue observation with staged scenes, while also revealing how early cinema shaped the European view of the world.

film details

director:

Gabriel Veyre