La Kermesse héroïque

orderAdd to Wishlist

16 mmFrenchEnglish

The film takes place in the time of the painter Jan Bruegel in a small town in East Flanders during the Spanish domination (16th century). The town is preparing for its annual fair, when the arrival of the Spanish ambassador and his armed retinue, on his way to the Netherlands, is announced. There is panic and fear of looting among the notables and shopkeepers. The cowardly burgomaster advises the population to be calm, prudent and obedient. His wife decides, on the contrary, to play the hostesses of charm to the bourgeois of the city. The Duke of Olivares is full of consideration and deference, and his escort is only thinking of feasting. Charming misunderstandings enamel their passage, and the departure of the invader in the early morning will leave many regrets.