Dir. Nicolas Philibert, 1990, France, 85min, DCP, Color
In French with English subtitles

What does the Louvre look like when it’s closed? This documentary chronicles the first time the museum allowed a film crew behind the scenes after hours and into spaces off-limits to the public. What results is the discovery of a city within a city; a narrative that blends the mundane and the fantastical, traversing miles of underground passages to reveal the secrets of the revered institution. Weaving visuals of reserves containing thousands of paintings, sculptures, and objects with stories of the staff as they reorganize pieces, hang works, and outfit themselves in new uniforms, personalities emerge like brush strokes from the surrounding canvasses.

Best Documentary Of The Year, 1990 Europa Prize
Winner, 1990 Cinéma Du Réel Film Festival