As part of Mediterranean July and within the Bastille Day Ireland 2023 film programme, the French Embassy is delighted to present the Irish premiere of 'The Mysteries of the Cosquer Cave', an extraordinary documentary by Marie Thiry about the only known underwater prehistoric decorated cave.

Synopsis

Over 35 meters below sea in France’s Calanque National Park hides the entry to one of cave art’s greatest masterpieces: the Cosquer Cave. Only accessible underwater, this incredible cave adorned with paintings more than 27 000 years old is little known, yet threatened by rising sea levels. In order for its preservation and to make it accessible to the largest number of people, the Southern Region (Provence-Alps-Cote d’Azur) has created a full-sized replica of this hidden gem and its incredible paintings, which has opened in 2022 in Marseille’s Villa Méditerranée, near the MUCEM.

The film follows this ambitious artistic and scientific project alongside the prehistorians, geologists, craftsmen and artists responsible for the reproduction of this underwater cave on land. In doing so, it retraces the incredible history of one of the most important decorated caves in Europe, and the only one to have survived the end of the last ice age in the Mediterranean periphery.

AWARDS

Special Mention by Jury: Excellent Dramatization of Global Warming – The Archaeology Channel TAC International Film Festival – OREGON USA – 2023

Honorable Mention for Animation & Effects – The Archaeology Channel TAC International Film Festival – OREGON USA – 2023

Honorable Mention for Public Education Value – The Archaeology Channel TAC International Film Festival – OREGON USA – 2023

Honorable Mention for Cinematography – The Archaeology Channel TAC International Film Festival – OREGON USA – 2023

Honorable Mention for Script – The Archaeology Channel TAC International Film Festival – OREGON USA – 2023

Honorable Mention for Inspiration – The Archaeology Channel TAC International Film Festival – OREGON USA – 2023

Prix du Public – Festival international du film d’archéologie de Nyon – FIFAN 2023

Prix de la DRAC des Hauts-de-France – Meilleur film consacré à l’archéologie métropolitaine – 16ème Festival du film d’archéologie d’Amiens – 2022

Prix de la meilleure cinématographie – 11th AGON International Archaeological Film Festival Athenes – Grèce – 2022

2 Mentions spéciales dans les catégories Grand prix, Meilleur film d’Archéologie – 11th AGON International Archaeological Film Festival – Athènes – Grèce – 2022

Award for the best underwater archaeology film – ARKHAIOS – South Carolina Film Cultural and Archaeology Film Festival – USA – 2022

Special Mention for the best archaeological film – ARKHAIOS – South Carolina Film Cultural and Archaeology Film Festival  – USA – 2022

Prix INRAP-TSVP du film « archéologie pour tous » – ICRONOS- 18ème Festival International du film d’Archéologie de Bordeaux – France 2022

Prix des lycéens – ICRONOS- 18ème Festival International du film d’Archéologie de Bordeaux – France – 2022

Prix UPSIDE – Université Paris Cité – PARISCIENCE – 18ème Festival International du Film Scientifique – France – 2022

Prix du Jury – RAN – 10èmes Rencontres d’Archéologie de la Narbonnaise – France

Student’s Jury Award – 7th International Archaeology Film Festival, Split, Croatie – 2022.

Prix du public – Festival du film d’archéologie sous-marine de Collioure 2022

EXPLORE FRANCE

Find out more on visiting the replica of the Cosquer Cave in the Villa Méditerranée in Marseille. The story of the Cosquer Cave and its discovery is told on three floors with an ‘underwater’ replica of the prehistoric cave, which can be explored on board exploratory vehicles.

www.grotte-cosquer.com