Nyon Archaeology Film Festival Opens with Artemis, The Lost Temple

The International Archaeology Film Festival of Nyon (FIFAN) will open on Tuesday, September 2 at 7:00 pm at L’Usine à Gaz with the screening of Artemis, le temple perdu, directed by Sébastien Reichenbach.

Produced by Stéphane Goël (Climage) with the participation of RTS, Arte and the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece (ESAG), this 52-minute documentary retraces the discovery of the sanctuary of Artemis Amarysia in Amarynthos, on the island of Euboea. Long sought after, the temple was finally uncovered in 2017 thanks to excavations led by Professor Karl Reber, then Director of ESAG, in close collaboration with the Greek authorities.
The film highlights the work of several generations of researchers, in particular the perseverance of Professor Denis Knoepfler (University of Neuchâtel), whose scientific intuition paved the way for this major discovery. Blending archaeological investigation, human adventure, and genuine emotion, Artemis, le temple perdu reaches a wide audience far beyond the circle of ancient history enthusiasts.

International acclaim

Since 2024, the film has achieved an outstanding track record:

• Over 16 selections at international festivals
• 7 awards, including
  • Best Archaeological Film – AGON (Athens)
  • Audience Award – Agrigento (Sicily)
  • Students’ Award – Rencontres d’archéologie de la Narbonnaise (Narbonne)
  • Jury Award – Best Animation & Effects – The Archaeology Channel (Oregon, USA)
• Several special mentions, including for script, narration, and educational value
• Television broadcasts in more than 9 countries (Switzerland, France, Germany, Canada, Greece, Poland, South America, USA, Middle East)
• Over one million cumulative views on streaming platforms

The film has been screened from Florence to Rabat, from Pittsburgh to Athens, and in cities such as Narbonne, Varese, Rovereto, Bidasoa and Crans-Montana, confirming its status as a benchmark in contemporary archaeological documentary filmmaking.

A highlight in Nyon

The opening screening at FIFAN will be followed by a discussion with Sébastien Reichenbach and archaeologist Samuel Verdan (ESAG). A rare opportunity for the audience to discover the behind-the-scenes of a film that tells both a scientific quest and a universal human adventure.