Tuniský bej se svou družinou sestupuje po schodišti paláce Bardo

synopsis

The Bey of Tunis and members of his entourage descend the staircase of the Bardo Palace. Their carefully choreographed movements combine a portrait of the ruler with a ceremonial display of power. The camera presents political authority as a living, embodied presence while simultaneously placing it within a representative colonial image.

biography

Alexandre Promio (1868–1926) was one of the Lumière company’s foremost cinematographers. From 1896 onwards, he travelled with the Cinématographe across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. His films expanded early cinema’s horizons through travelogue perspectives, bustling urban scenes and a camera moving through space.

film details

director:

Alexandre Promio