THE FILM
Pieces on a Board
KNIGHT TO QUEEN (7 MIN 30 SEC, USA)
1417, France. After years of mediating a bitter civil war, Queen Isabeau is a prisoner in her own kingdom. Gambling on the Duke of Burgundy, a ruthless warlord, the Queen searches for a divine sign as the pieces move into play. Based on historical events.
STARRING
JULIE SWEUM
QUEEN ISABEAU
LEO ROBADEY
DUKE OF BURGUNDY
ELSA PÉRUSIN
VOICED IN FRENCH BY
PRINCESS KATHERINE
ARIEL BATY
WITH
SAM HALOTE
JACK BRINKMAN
TYLER CRAIG
THE HISTORY
Polarizing Politics are Nothing New
At the height of the Hundred Year's War, France faces a threat from within. During the tumultuous reign of the mad king Charles VI, his consort, Queen Isabeau takes on the role of mediator between the powerful players vying for control. In 1407, the King's brother is assassinated on the orders of his cousin, John the Fearless, the Duke of Burgundy, sparking a civil war within the house of Valois. By 1417, opposition to Burgundy centers around the Count of Armagnac, who controls the king and his young heir in Paris. In the aftermath of the French defeat at Agincourt, the Duke of Burgundy mounts an aggressive military campaign to seize power as Queen Isabeau falls hostage to the 'Armagnacs'. Knight to Queen's narrative follows the account from contemporary chronicler, Enguerrand Monstrelet.
FURTHER READING
Adams, Tracy. (2010). The Life and Afterlife of Isabeau of Bavaria. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Famiglietti, R.C. (1986) Royal Intrigue: Crisis at the Court of Charles VI, 1392–1420. New York; AMS Press.
Jager, Eric (2014). Blood Royal: a true tale of crime and detection in Medieval Paris. Little, Brown, and Co.
Vaughn, Richard.(2005). John the Fearless. The Dukes of Burgundy. Boydell Press.
THE PRODUCTION
Shot on location over two days, KNIGHT TO QUEEN went into production as the global pandemic shut down or delayed many film productions large and small. Producer, Evan Cannon maintained a covid-compliant safe set for a reduced cast and crew in accordance with regional and national guidelines, to prevent anyone from falling ill. Much of pre-production was coordinated with remote support.
Writer/Director SARAH R. LOTFI's commitment to translating this chapter of history into a cerebral film, has been informed through research from scholars and advisors in the greater United States, France, Belgium, and New Zealand. Attention to the language and history of this time have made it possible for KNIGHT TO QUEEN to translate to audiences in English and French.
D.P., DAVID GRAUBERGER, chose to shoot KNIGHT TO QUEEN on the RED KOMODO, in Anamorphic Cinemascope, capturing fifteenth century France in the 2.39:1 ratio.
The original score by DANIEL VENDT reflects the soul of the period through haunting melodies on medieval instruments that underscore the dramatic tension of Queen Isabeau's crisis of conscience.