A film of Stéphane Gabet and Pierre Belet
Any history book will tell you that King Henri IV was assassinated by Ravaillac in 1610. But Henri’s travail’s did not end with burial beside the other Frech kings in the royal cript in the Basilica of Saint-Denis. During the upheavals of 1793, Henri’s tomb was violated and, like the victims of the guillotine, his body was decapited! A mysterious mummified head surface once at a Paris auction house in the 1930’s. Could it have been that of King Henri? If so, where was it now?
Reporter/filmmakers Stéphane Gabet and PierreBelet of Galaxie Presse spent two years tracking down the head and investigating the clues. With a team of 19 scientists and historians, led by forensic paleothologist Philippe Charlier,they sifted the physical evidence and pored over four centuries’ worth of documents. On 15th December 2010, the British Medical Journal published their study conclusively proving the embalmed head’s royal source. The authentification was official!
This quick-paced documentary is a diary of the investigation, reflecting the thrill of the detectives when history and science intertwine to bring the past to life.
Publisher : Réunion des musées nationaux - Grand Palais / FTD
Coproduction : GALAXIE PRESSE, Rmn - GP avec la participation de France Télévision et du CNC
Duration : 72 mn
Sound : Dolby Digital Stereo
Film : Colour
Languages : French / English subtitles
Format : 16/9 - NTSC – All zones
Publication date : Mars 2011
