Restored 1927 Epic 'Napoléon' Premieres on France 5

Abel Gance's groundbreaking silent film returns in a definitive seven-hour version after a 16-year restoration effort by the Cinémathèque française.

The restored version of Abel Gance's 1927 silent film 'Napoléon' airs on France 5, marking its first television broadcast in its original intended form.
The restoration, led by the Cinémathèque française, involved 16 years of meticulous work to piece together 100 kilometers of scattered film reels from around the world.
This seven-hour cinematic masterpiece chronicles Napoleon Bonaparte's early life, from his military school days to his triumph in the Italian campaign.
The film showcases pioneering techniques, including Gance's innovative 'polyvision,' which expands the screen with three simultaneous projections.
Accompanied by a newly arranged orchestral score, the restored film highlights Gance's poetic vision of Napoleon as both a historical and mythical figure.