The Colosseum: The Political Stage of Emperors

The Colosseum is often depicted as a bloody stadium of gladiators with violence and murder! Is it all in the Colosseum? In fact, the 'Colosseum' in Roman times was a thorough political stage in which the emperor was able to show off the power of the emperor and to meet and communicate directly with the citizens. The emperor was a political space that was not an original one that gained the support of the Roman people and the people were actively exchanging their demands. The fact that even the Roman emperor, who was a symbol of absolute power, did politics through communication with the Roman people would be a valuable lesson for us to live in modern society beyond 2000 years.

2013-05-06 | ko

Legend of Destruction

What had initially started out as a Jewish revolt against the Roman occupation, quickly turned into a fierce civil war. The combination of religious messianic zeal and the friction between social classes proved disastrous and resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple.

2021-06-30 | he

Revenge of the Barbarians

408 AD. The Visigoths led by Alaric invade northern Italy. At Ravenna, they have to battle, and they are stopped by the power of the Roman legions and the cunning of the emperor's sister, Galla Placidia. As the Goths lose many warriors in the cruel battle, Alaric vows bloody revenge.

1960-12-23 | it

The Statue of Giordano Bruno

This film was made out of the capture of a live animation performance presented in Rome in January 2005 by Pierre Hébert and the musician Bob Ostertag. It is based on live action shooting done that same afternoon on the Campo dei Fiori where the philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned by the Inquisition in 1600. A commemorative statue was erected in the 19th century, that somberly dominate the market held everyday on the piazza. The film is about the resurgence of the past in this place where normal daily activities go on imperturbably. The capture of the performance was reworked, shortened and complemented with more studio performances.

2005-01-01 | en

The Real Antony and Cleopatra

Expert interviews, dramatic reconstructions and location shooting bring to life the iconic legend of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in this historical documentary.

2016-01-01 | en

The Immortal City

From the legendary times of Romulus and Remus to the present day, the compelling story of the eternal city's twenty-five centuries of civilization traces the rise of Christianity over paganism through studies of Vatican art treasures.

1954-12-01 | en

Salome

Palestine, under the rule of Rome. Salome, daughter of Herodias and both niece and stepdaughter of King Herod, becomes infatuated with the prophet John the Baptist, who publicly denounces the depravity of the royal family and proclaims the arrival of a new messiah. (Film presumed lost.)

1918-08-10 | en

Nero's Mistress

Nero is on holiday at the seaside. Poppea, Seneca and many other guests are with him. Nero is preparing a great show where he will be the star. When Agrippina, his mother, arrives with her German praetorians and decides Nero has to conquer Britain, she is asking for trouble. Many attempts of murder and poisoning will happen on the eve of his great show.

1956-09-13 | it

Saint-Pierre : la basilique de tous les records

2020-03-23 | fr

Cleopatra

The fabled queen of Egypt's affair with Roman general Marc Antony is ultimately disastrous for both of them.

1912-11-13 | en

Boudica

The Celtic queen who shook the Roman Empire. Boudica is one of history’s first and fiercest women warriors. Sickened by ceaseless war, the king of the Iceni accepts a treaty with the Romans in exchange for his tribe’s continued independence. But oppressively high taxes impoverish the tribe and soon the Romans want something more — slaves. Refusing to submit, the Romans, led by the greedy and psychotic Emperor Nero, move to crush the Iceni and control their lands. Drawing on the strength of her warriors, mystical druidic powers, and her own pain, Boudica unites the historically fractious tribes of Briton to unleash a stunning onslaught on the Roman colonial camps. The ferocity of Boudica’s attacks will shake the foundations of the Roman empire and make her a legend.

2003-10-12 | en

Hadrian

Documentary film, made for TV, about the Roman emperor Hadrian.

2008-07-19 | en

Nero's Sunken City

Beneath the turquoise waves of the Bay of Naples lies an extraordinary underwater archeology site, the ancient Roman city of Baiae. From the first century to the third century AD, Baiae was the exclusive playground for the rich and powerful among Rome’s elite. What made Baiae such a special place? What really went on there? And why did it disappear?

2017-04-16 | de

Julius Caesar Revealed

Mary Beard is on a mission to uncover the real Julius Caesar, and to challenge public perception, exploring Caesar's surprising legacy.

2018-02-12 | en

Embassy

US ambassador in Rome must protect US interests and secrets from mob, spies and curious girlfriends who may be more than what they seem.

1985-04-21 | fr

Three Swords for Rome

222 AD in the Roman Empire. A teenage Emperor, Elagabalus, is technically on the throne but manipulated by a conniving mother, who is the real power.

1964-12-31 | it

Lost world of the Colosseum

2017-08-09 | en

Visiting Italy

This TravelTalk short focuses on the ancient ruins in Rome, the leaning tower of Pisa, and the architecture in Florence, Italy.

1951-08-25 | en

Il museo degli orrori di Dario Argento

Newly edited version of Luigi Cozzi's 1997 documentary "Il mondo di Dario Argento 3: Il museo degli orrori di Dario Argento" focusing on the museum-part of the "Profondo Rosso" shop.

2022-12-02 | it

Peter and Paul and the Christian Revolution

Two thousand years ago, in the Roman province of Judea, Jesus was crucified by imperial troops. Thousands before him had suffered the same fate. But unlike his predecessors on the cross, Jesus did not disappear from history. Instead, his memory was kept alive by a small band of Jews - men and women who held fast to their conviction that Jesus was the Messiah.

2003-04-09 | en