The documentary The Lost Tombs of Notre-Dame invites viewers to follow a fascinating investigation, based on unprecedented archaeological discoveries in the heart of Notre-Dame. Directed by Florence Tran and produced by ZED, in partnership with Inrap, CNRS Images , for ARTE and PBS NOVA, the film is distributed internationally by ZED and has already won over French audiences following its broadcast on ARTE. Charlotte Tachet, ZED's Director of Distribution and Acquisitions, tells us all about its genesis and unique angle.
Unifrance: The documentary has been broadcast on ARTE to coincide with the cathedral's reopening to the public, and reveals a little-known part of its history. How did the project come about?
Charlotte Tachet: This film is the culmination of a long-term project launched by ZED in 2019 with the institutions, scientists, and archaeologists in charge of the Notre-Dame reconstruction project.
Thanks to our work on the series "Notre-Dame de Paris: le chantier du siècle" (3x52’), already five years ago, we were able to follow all the preparatory stages of the reconstruction work. This enabled us to find our way around the site, among the various professions, and to get as close as possible to this monumental preparation and reconstruction challenge, requiring know-how and materials that have become rare today. The series follows this adventure in contact with archaeologists and scientists, to understand the cathedral and its history, in order to rebuild it.
At the end of the filming of this ambitious series, and as the restoration work entered its final phase, Inrap archaeologists carried out preventive excavations before the 700-ton scaffolding was erected at the crossing. They uncovered two lead coffins and over a thousand polychrome sculpted blocks, along with the remains of the medieval rood screen, once thought lost forever, which separated the choir from the nave. An exceptional archaeological find!
Thanks to the access provided by the production of our series, our cameras were in the right place at the right time, alongside the researchers, when the coffins were being opened. The ZED teams not only filmed these precious moments, but also worked hand-in-hand with the archaeologists, who took advantage of the technical filming equipment we provided to explore under the slab. It's a wonderful audiovisual and scientific collaboration that was put in place as soon as the construction site began in 2019. What's more, our partner, Inrap, wanted to be able to investigate with peace of mind, and quickly put in place an embargo on these new discoveries, while granting us long-term privileged access to the researchers. ARTE was quick to express its wish to accompany us in this new film, entirely dedicated to this investigation.
Like the excavations, the documentary had to be made in a very short space of time. How was this handled?
CT: It was a race against time, so to speak. The scientists were conducting an investigation worthy of a detective story, with many unexpected shifts, and for our part we were running a complex and ambitious production, which had to be delivered for broadcast in December. We invested a lot in terms of shooting and editing days. ARTE had initially ordered a 52-minute film, but in September it was announced that one of the bodies found in the sarcophagi might be that of the poet Joachim Du Bellay! This event necessitated a revision of the editing, and ARTE finally decided to devote 80 minutes to it. So we produced a new version in less than two months! It's a film full of twists and turns, showing a general audience the inner workings of an archaeological investigation, up close and personal with the researchers and their work.
For PBS NOVA/GBH, we also produced a custom 52-minute version, whose writing is more adapted to international codes, and which is the version distributed outside French-speaking countries.
What was the response after the first broadcast on ARTE on November 30?
CT: The documentary achieved excellent ratings: more than double the average for the slot, and the best audience of the year so far for the Human Adventure slot! ARTE took advantage of the broadcast to reschedule our 3x52' documentary series, Notre-Dame de Paris: le chantier du siècle, just after prime-time. As the cathedral rises from the ashes and reopens to the public, international interest in the subject is once again very strong. American audiences will be able to discover the film when it airs on NOVA on December 18.
How does The Lost Tombs of Notre-Dame differ from other productions about Notre-Dame?
CT: The film goes beyond the story of the cathedral's reconstruction and the terrible fire that ravaged its structure: it adopts a new point of view on this construction site, which ultimately enabled scientists to make rare discoveries, and viewers to plunge into the secrets of an archaeological site at an emblematic monument in the heart of the French capital. For us, it shows how important the cathedral's basement is, just as much as its walls. Beneath our feet, the monument's entire history is revealed.
An unexpected contemporary event, discoveries suddenly resurfacing from the past, and science in motion: these ingredients become the trigger for a great plunge into history, with a strong narrative arc and engaging issues, taking us all the way to the USA! These elements, and the parallel between yesterday and today, make the film accessible to a wide audience, and suggest that Notre-Dame has not yet revealed all its secrets...
Notre-Dame fascinates audiences the world over. How have you positioned yourself to bring the documentary to international broadcasters?
CT: This unexpected discovery quickly won over a large number of broadcasters. As well as providing access to the archaeological site itself, the film is above all an epic that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Our American partners at PBS NOVA/GBH were quick to take an interest in this investigation. The film benefited from the experience of Christine Le Goff, a producer with international reach, and the know-how of director Florence Tran, who had already worked on major international productions.
The unprecedented access we obtained, our presence at the time of the discovery and our day-to-day monitoring of the investigation were also undeniable assets in bringing this film to market. Finally, this documentary is positioned as a bit of an “outsider,” complementing all the other productions we can see about Notre-Dame. Our subject is unprecedented, which enabled us to convince broadcasters who had already committed to Notre-Dame projects.
You conceived a different version of the film for PBS and for the international market. What distinguishes it from the French version?
CT: The formats expected by French channels are different from those of the international market, and in particular from partners like NOVA. We worked with them throughout production, taking into account their specific editorial demands: the international version was thus put together in parallel to the French version.
At what stage of the project did PBS join you as a partner? What about the other partners?
CT: PBS NOVA/GBH joined the project very early on. ZED's sales and distribution teams carried out a major international financing drive in the early stages. The other partners – Mediaset, Foxtel, TV5 Québec-Canada, Planète+, Česka Televize and RTBF – came on board gradually. The Inrap press release published in the fall about the potential discovery of Joachim du Bellay also triggered a lot of new interest, with major hype in the media.
We have concluded a large number of pre-sales and are now entering the marketing phase. This film could become a genuine Notre-Dame reference work.
