The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – Filming Locations
Drama / History · Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer · Starring Eugène Silvain, Maria Falconetti
A classic of the silent age, this film tells the story of the doomed but ultimately canonized 15th-century teenage warrior. On trial for claiming she'd spoken to God, Jeanne d'Arc is subjected to inhumane treatment and scare tactics at the hands of church court officials. Initially bullied into changing her story, Jeanne eventually opts for what she sees as the truth. Her punishment, a famously brutal execution, earns her perpetual martyrdom.
Where was The Passion of Joan of Arc filmed?
- Rouen, France, Rouen – Joan is led through the cathedral square and interrogated by ecclesiastical authorities. The Gothic cathedral's distinctive architecture provided the authentic medieval backdrop for Joan's trial sequences, establishing the historical religious context of her persecution
- Rouen, France, Rouen – Joan is paraded through narrow medieval streets and confronted by hostile crowds during her imprisonment and trial proceedings. The preserved medieval streets of Rouen provided authentic period atmosphere for the film's depiction of Joan's public humiliation and the fervent reactions of townspeople
- Rouen, France, Rouen – Joan's execution by fire at the stake, the film's climactic sequence. The historic square where Joan of Arc was actually burned at the stake in 1431 serves as the authentic location for the film's powerful final moments, lending documentary truth to Dreyer's spiritual interpretation