On the mythical site of Saqqara, the Apis bulls were buried for more than a thousand years in the immense underground necropolis of the Serapheum. Discovered in 1850 by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette, this place shelters a treasure of which a part is preserved in the Louvre. The collapse of the ceiling of one of the galleries had however prevented the archaeologist from venturing into the entire necropolis. More than 170 years later, the museum's Egyptologists are continuing the work of their famous predecessor. Investigating the cult of the Apis bull and the mysterious rituals that surrounded it, the team is especially looking for access to the unexplored parts, which have at least eight burial chambers, with the hope of finding intact tombs.
Cinematography
Claustrophobic underground tunnels that breathe ancient dread.
Direction
Balances scholarly rigor with genuine archaeological suspense.
Director
Frédéric Wilner
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Serapheum's 24 massive granite sarcophagi weigh up to 70 tons each—modern engineers still debate how they were moved underground. The Apis bull was believed to be a living god, and each burial triggered national mourning.
Mariette's 1850 discovery happened during France's scramble to out-collect Britain's British Museum acquisitions. This film quietly interrogates who 'owns' the right to unseal what ancient Egyptians deliberately sealed.
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