After an illustrious campaign in Italy, Bonaparte went East to conquer new horizons. His mission was multiple: military, political and scientific. He was to deliver Egypt from the Mamluks’ tyranny, cut the route to India to undermine British interests, propagate Enlightenment and study the country. The victorious general, aged 29, was given carte blanche to organize the Egyptian campaign as he wished. He decided, for the first time ever, to bring scientists along on a military expedition! The film is a two-sided view of this incredible expedition which brought together opposing worlds – military and scientific – with emphasis on the scholars’ point of view. Far from their homes and familiar surroundings, for the most part young, these men incarnated the spirit of Enlightenment and eagerly threw themselves into this Oriental adventure. Braving culture shock, the unknown and diverging interests with the soldiers, caught in the midst of epic battles and civilian uprisings, our scientists accomplished their mission and made incredible antique discoveries, marking the birth of Egyptology and modern-day archeology.A documentary fiction film that mixes real rushes (actors) and computer-generated images (decors) + "stop motion" epic scenes (3D freeze frames) + interviews with specialists + classical images (drawings, paintings) + animated maps and 3D models.