France is an Empire

Sacré Charlemagne

September 2015 •French

Mark of the Hand

January 1987 •English

Guyanese painter Aubrey Williams (1926-1990) returns to his homeland on a “journey to the source of his inspiration” in this vivid Arts Council documentary, filmed towards the end of his life. The title comes from the indigenous Arawak word ‘timehri’ - the mark of the hand of man - which Williams equates to art itself. Timehri was also then the name of the international airport at Georgetown, Guyana's capital, where Williams stops off to restore an earlier mural. The film offers a rare insight into life beyond Georgetown, what Williams calls “the real Guyana.” Before moving to England in 1952 he had been sent to work on a sugar plantation in the jungle; this is his first chance to revisit the region and the Warao Indians - formative influences on his work - in four decades. Challenging the ill-treatment of indigenous Guyanese, Williams explored the potential of art to change attitudes. By venturing beyond his British studio, this film puts his work into vibrant context.

Edward Said: The Idea of Empire

February 1993 •English

Edward Said, a Palestinan writer, academic and exile, talks about his book "Culture and Imperialism" and explains how the attitudes forged over the last 200 years continue to enforce the relationship between the west and the developing world.

Imperial Sunset

January 1967 •English

This short satirical film, created entirely from archival footage, is about the British Empire—on which the sun never sets. The majority of the humour and wit is found in the interplay between image and sound: what we see during the formative days of the Empire, and what famous servants had to say about it. Edited by Oscar®-nominated experimental filmmaker Arthur Lipsett (Very Nice, Very Nice).

I Will Speak English

September 1954 •English

'An instructional film made on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare, demonstrating a new technique to teach English to illiterate adult audiences in the Gold Coast. (..) This is a film with an almost entirely African cast, depicting an African teacher instructing a group of African students, produced by a predominantly African crew. Yet, the subject of the film – encouraging the widespread teaching of English – jars with this image of a modern Gold Coast. Just as the Gold Coast Film Unit was overseen by British figures – such as Sean Graham and, in this case, George Noble – this film also endorses the retention of British influence within a new national identity'. - Tom Rice, for colonialfilm.org

Star Wars

May 1977 •English

Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker and dashing captain Han Solo team together with the loveable robot duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess and restore peace and justice in the Empire.

Curse of the Golden Flower

December 2006 •Chinese

During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as his wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.

Secrets of Palace coup d'etat. Russia, 18th century. Film №2. Testament Empress

December 2000 •Russian

Having enthroned the wife of Peter the Great and his mistress Catherine I, Menshikov receives unlimited power, thereby causing envy and indignation of his former allies in the coup. Taking advantage of his absence, they are plotting against His Serene Highness. But once again, luck accompanies the brave darling of fortune: having received a warning of mortal danger, he escapes arrest and enters the boudoir of the Empress.

Dune

December 1984 •English

In the year 10,191, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe, the vast desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. Its native inhabitants, the Fremen, have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah who would lead them to true freedom.

Genghis Khan

May 1998 •Chinese

During the 12th Century a boy is born to a tribal chief. He is named Temujin, which means "blacksmith." Nine years later, his father is murdered by the Tartars After a long struggle, just when Temujin reclaims tribal chief status, the Merkit tribe kidnaps his wife. In order to fight against the Merkits, Temujin has to use his mother as a pawn in exchange for troops from ally tribes. Temujin manages to rescue his wife only to realise that she is pregnant with the enemy's child. Enduring tremendous anguish, Temujin throws himself into battle against the Tartars and slaughters the leader of the intruders. He eventually takes his wife back and accepts her child. Later on, he begins a campaign to unify all Mongolian tribes. By the age of 40, he is bestowed the title "Genghis Khan", which means "oceanic ruler".

American Empire

December 1942 •English

Richard Dix as Dan Taylor and Preston S. Foster as Paxton Bryce are two longtime friends seeking their fortune in Texas after the war. The two men decide, not without problems, to establish a cattle empire. Paxton becoming too ambitious, distances himself from Dan and Abby, Paxton's wife. It will only be after a personal tragedy that he will come back to his senses.

Dune

September 2021 •English

Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Alexander the Great

March 1956 •English

An engrossing spectacle set in the 4th-century BC, in which Alexander of Greece leads his troops forth, conquering all of the known world, in the belief that the Greek way of thinking will bring enlightenment to people. The son of the barbaric and ruthless King Philip of Macedonia, Alexander achieved glory in his short but remarkable life.

Butterfly and Sword

January 1993 •

A loyalist attempts to keep the King's empire from being overthrown by a revolutionary group.

Mughal-e-Azam

August 1960 •Hindi

In the 16th century, when Prince Salim falls in love with a beautiful courtesan named Anarkali, Emperor Akbar's disapproval leads to a battle between father and son.

Edge of the Empire

April 2010 •Thai

Set in southern Mongolia over 1,000 years ago, the story relates the history of the small tribe called Tai, a colony ruled by the Great Han at that time. This film shows how the Tai people, oppressed by their Han overlords, unite to fight for their freedom.

Silver River

May 1948 •English

Unjustly booted out of the cavalry, Mike McComb strikes out for Nevada, and deciding never to be used again, ruthlessly works his way up to becoming one of the most powerful silver magnates in the west. His empire begins to fall apart as the other mining combines rise against him and his stubbornness loses him the support of his wife and old friends.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

May 2024 •English

Several generations following Caesar's reign, apes – now the dominant species – live harmoniously while humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all he's known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Death of Hope Part 1: Anarchy Reigns

March 2020 •English

It is the 30th millennium. Humanity is caught in the midst of a fratricidal war between those of the meta-human Space Marines who are loyal to the Emperor, and those who no longer are. The once noble warriors of the XII and XVII legions are cutting a bloody path throughout the realm of Ultramar, committing boundless atrocities out of sheer spite and hatred for their cousins belonging to the XIII legion. In this episode we gain a glimpse of the aftermath of the battle on planet Sathus, and the living nightmare taking place on a starship manned by traitorous legionaries, as they bide their time on the approach to planet Calth.

Bavi Stock I: Fated to Be A Target

December 1985 •Japanese

Agent Kate Lee Jackson of the GPP (Space Police) frees the mute girl Muna from a prison on the Bentika Empire, a huge floating satellite. She also frees Bavi Stock, a young boxer jailed after accidentally killing an opponent and is in danger of being killed by the brutal prison regime.