Hello again Milwaukee and welcome back to Day 2 of the Festival! Things are in full swing now as the next two weeks are packed with screenings, panels, and events all day long. If you still haven't picked up one of our Program Books and need some help planning your days out, click here for a full PDF version of the book.
Today's programming is led by our screening of The Passion of Joan of Arc ft. a live score from composer George Sarah. Often cited by critics, scholars, and historians as one of the greatest and most important films of all time, The Passion of Joan of Arc has influenced filmmakers since and pioneered the use of close-up shots. The use of close-ups was made even more effective by the incredible lead performace by Maria Falconetti who expertly captured the emotions needed for every scene without ever speaking. Roger Ebert wrote of her performance in his "Great Movies" series that "You cannot know the history of silent film unless you know the face of Renee Maria Falconetti. In a medium without words, where the filmmakers believed that the camera captured the essence of characters through their faces, to see Falconetti in Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc is to look into eyes that will never leave you."
This screening is made even more special thanks to a live performance of the score from composer George Sarah. It's a rarity to see silent films screened on a big screen in today's age and even rarer still to see them with live musical accompaniment, so don't miss this special one-night-only screening! If you haven't seen the film before, you won't find a better way to experience for the first time.
The Passion of Joan of Arc plays at 7 PM tonight at the Oriental Theatre. Note that this showing is a Premium Screening and 6-packs, 10-packs, and vouchers cannot be redeemed for this screening!
Tickets for tonight's screening can be purchased at any of our Festival box office locations starting one hour before the venue's first screening.
This screening of The Passion of Joan of Arc is proudly sponsored by Jan Serr and John Shannon.
Posted by: Milwaukee Film