A docudrama film about Napoleon’s relation with islands, partly shot in Malta two summers ago, is to premiere tomorrow at the Mediterranean film festival Arte Mare in Corsica. 

The film, to be projected at Le Régent Cinema, is called Islander at Heart (Insulaire dans l’âme). It will be presented by its French director Isabelle Balducchi for Zia Maria Films.

Napoleon’s destiny appears to be associated with islands. He was born in 1769  in Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, experimented with his social and administrative acumen on the island of Malta on his way to Egypt in 1798, and was assigned to the Italian island of Elba in 1814 before finally succumbing to an early death on the Atlantic island of St Helena, in 1821. 

The film crew travelled to these territories and used the four islands as platforms for studying geographical, philosophical and psychoanalytical aspects of this great personality, away from the general’s more acknowledged military career. 

Marking 200 years since Napoleon’s death, Islander at Heart includes enactments featuring the young General Napoleon Bonaparte and analytical contributions by historians from the four islands.

The film festival Arte Mare is held every October in the city of Bastia. For the past 37 years, the festival has welcomed various prestigious Mediterranean films as well as directors, actors, producers and screenwriters. It awards honours in various categories, including the Ulysses Prize for overall achievement.