The 3rd Complementary Day of Year 13

In the French Revolutionary calendar, the 3rd complementary day of the year 13 marks the day of Pierre Méchain's death. He was one of two scientists who were commissioned in 1792 to measure the length of the meridian arc between Dunkirk and Barcelona in order to calculate the meter as the first universal unit. Pierre Méchain made mistakes in his calculations, which he concealed to protect his reputation. Years later, he returned to Spain to correct his incorrect measurements. Unfortunately he arrived in Spain at the same time as the yellow fever, which was spreading rapidly through the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the late summer of 1804, just a few days before the start of the 14th year of the revolution, Pierre Méchain succumbed to the fever.


Produced, Directed, Edited by Louis Hay
DoP: Moritz Freudenberg
Set Design: Leander Kreissl
Costume Design: Ines Dautel
Pierre Méchain: Adrian Hörr
Jean-Baptiste Delambre: Georg Thanner
Sound Design / Music: Manuel Sékou
Hair Stylist / Wigs: Beate Bauer
Lighting Designer: Robert Sampławski
Prop Production: Luis Benz
Assistant Camera: Ferdinand Klotzky
Assistant Director: Juliet Carpenter
Thanks to: Naspa Stiftung, Die Fabrik Frankfurt, Schweizer5