A Star-Studded Cast Gathers for Ruiz's Final Project

Napoleon, who boasted of his military prowess, and Wellington, known as a brilliant strategist. The decisive battle of the century where these two contrasting figures clashed for the only time was the Battle of Waterloo. The trigger for this was the French conquest of Portugal and the Battle of Bussaco, where the Anglo-Portuguese forces clashed to halt the invasion. This film depicts the little-known offensive and defensive maneuvers.


The film portrays not only the soldiers fighting on the front lines but also women surviving tenaciously, and people caught in the vortex of war, regardless of their circumstances, shedding light on the turbulent era from every angle.


The cast includes a stellar lineup of actors such as John Malkovich as Wellington, alongside Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Michel Piccoli, Mathieu Amalric, and Melville Poupaud.

Destinies Intersect at the Final Fortress: The Lines of Torres Vedras

On September 27, 1810, after a fierce battle, French soldiers of the Second Battalion climbed the slopes of Bussaco, Portugal, reaching the summit of Alcoba. However, upon reaching the ridge, the French soldiers were met with the sight of the British army, fully prepared and waiting.


Wellington's strategy led the British army to successfully repel the French forces. Yet, despite the victory, the British army retreated to the fortress known as the Lines of Torres Vedras, built by Wellington. These lines, constructed just before Lisbon, were an 80-kilometer defensive fortification that the brilliant strategist Wellington had been secretly preparing for a year.


Director Valeria Sarmiento states, 'I wanted to convey that it is women who suffer in war.' Under this female director, who carries on the legacy of the late Raoul Ruiz, the suffering and resilience of women during wartime are depicted with even greater intensity, which is a key aspect of the film.



'Lines of Wellington'

Opening Saturday, December 28th, at Cine Switch Ginza and other theaters nationwide.
Director | Valeria Sarmiento
Starring | John Malkovich, Mathieu Amalric, Melville Poupaud, Catherine Deneuve
2012 / France, Portugal / 152 min / PG-12 / Original Title: 'Linhas de Wellington'
http://www.alcine-terran.com/koutei


© ALFAMA FILMS / FRANCE 3 CINEMA 2012