Show of the Week – Ramses The Great: King Of Ancient Egypt

Ramses The Great: King Of Ancient Egypt (Source: Cineflix Rights)

Take a step back into ancient history with this 6 x 60-minute docudrama series from Pernel Media that explores the life of Egyptian Pharoah Ramses II, to separate the man from the myth that he himself created – for better or worse.

Cutting-edge science and special access to the latest archaeological findings shed light on how, for the past few thousand years, stories about this ruler have been just a caricature of his own propaganda.

“Ramses The Great was the ultimate Pharaoh. He ruled for 67 years, among the very longest reigns in all of Egyptian history. He had a huge royal family, at least 100 children and probably more than a dozen wives so he was extraordinarily productive,” reveals Sigrid Clément, director of the series.

His incredible legacy means that this legendary figure of the ancient world still “captures our imagination,” says Clément.

“He also built more monuments than any other Egyptian king. He erected them to his family’s glory, celebrating military victories and personal triumphs, and engraved his legend on their walls for eternity.

“During his reign, Ramses II, with no royal blood in his veins, changed the course of Egypt’s history. And while he was still alive, he made himself a god, which is pretty unique in Ancient Egypt, going as far as worshipping himself in his own temples.”

The docudrama series reveals how Ramses went from a simple commoner to an ‘immortal’, following step by step the playbook of his family’s ascension.

To do so, Ramses mastered the art of propaganda. To secure his dynasty’s legacy and influence, Ramses largely exaggerated his victories. He wanted to show that he was a great and powerful warrior king, a man who could crush his enemies.

“But his reputation as a lord of war overshadowed his true talent – that of a peacemaker,” says Samuel Kissous, founder of Pernel Media and producer. “Thanks to new archaeological findings, this docudrama series draws a new nuanced portrait of Ramses to reveal who he truly was.”

Pernel invested heavily in photorealistic CGI for the series, to help viewers dive into Ramses’ ancient world, with reconstructions featuring alongside expert commentary.

“All the reconstructions are based on newly discovered archaeological data. We have recreated the city of Pi-Ramesses, the most dazzling capital of its time, the temple of Karnak and the splendid Ramesseum temple on the west bank of ancient Thebes, today’s Luxor. It is an incredible piece of work, and the results are impressive,” says Kissous.

Richard Life, SVP of acquisitions and co-productions at Cineflix Rights says that the “gripping family saga” and “new revelations of the Ramses’ darkest secrets”, alongside the cinematic dramatisations, will bring the story to life for viewers.

“Blue chip history featuring iconic figures like Ramses II, is always popular with audiences and this series is amongst the very best examples of the genre.”

Producer: Pernel Media
Distributor: Cineflix Rights
Broadcaster: Planète+ & C8 (France)
Logline: Docudrama series exploring the life story of Egyptian Pharoah Ramses II that separates the fact from the fiction of an ancient ruler who declared himself a god.