Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 7.30 p.m.
Opening Event
Stephan-Saal, Ständehausstraße 4
Short films from the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino; program duration: approx. 30 min.
The films: “Troppo Bello” (Too Beautiful), “Al cinematografo” (AT the Cinematograph), “Madamigella Robinet” (Miss Robinet), “Chi fu il colpevole?” (Who Was Guilty?), and “Ave Maria di Gounod”
Accompaniment: Leo Perrigo (piano) performs the original compositions written for these films by students of the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, Turin.
The Fire (OT: Il Fuoco)
Italy, 1915, 50 min.
Director: Giovanni Pastrone, with Pina Menichelli.
Accompaniment: Ludovico Bellucci (piano)
Kurz nach “Cabiria”, dem weltberühmten Klassiker Pastrones, entstand “Il Fuoco”, und auch dessen Drehbuch stammt von Gabriele d’Annunzio. Es ist ganz im Stil des Fin de Siècle gehalten, den man gerne mit dem Begriff der Dekadenz verbindet.
Vor erlesenen Decors entwickelt sich um eine Femme fatale eine Amour-Fou-Geschichte, die die bürgerlichen Moralvorstellungen konsequent sprengt. In dieser Geschichte kann es nur Sieger oder Verlierer geben. Eine Konzeption der Liebe, die sie unweigerlich mit dem Tod in Verbindung bringt. Je heftiger die Leidenschaften empor flackern, desto bedrohlicher werden die Schatten des Todes. Das Verrücktsein, der Verlust der Identität ist nur eine Vorstufe des endgültigen Vergehens. Im Feuer der Leidenschaft.
Pina Menichelli and Febo Mari in “Il Fuoco” by Giovanni Pastrone
Photo: © Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Torino
Thursday February 8, 2024
Studio 3, Cinema Kinemathek, Passagehof
Pavement Butterfly (OT: Großstadtschmetterling)
Germany, 1928/29, 96 min.
Director: Richard Eichberg
Accompaniment: Günter Buchwald (piano)
As “Princess Butterfly,” the Chinese dancer Mah performs at a fair in Paris. The clown Coco is obsessed with Mah, who rebuffs his unwanted (and violent) advances. To take revenge, Coco causes the fatal accident of an acrobat and blames Mah. Mah finds refuge from the outraged public in the studio of the painter Kusmin. Mah falls in love with Kusmin, but one day a dark figure from Mah’s past reappears. An emotionally gripping melodrama that can also be interpreted as a plea for tolerance. (Stummfilmtage Bonn)
Anna May Wong and E. F. Bostwick in “Pavemten Butterlfy”
by Richard Eichberg
Photo: © DFF Frankfurt/Main
Thursday February 8, 9.00 p.m.
Cinema Kinemathek Karlsruhe, Passagehof
The faithful Heart (OT: Cœur fidèle)
France, 1923m 87 min.
Direchtor: Jean Epstein, 1923, 87 min.
Accompaniment: Richard Siedhoff (piano).
From the very first shots, the film presents itself as a poignant melodrama. “Cœur fidèle” tells the tragic story of Marie, an orphan exploited by the owners of a bar in the port of Marseille. They want to force her to marry the aggressive crook and alcoholic Petit Paul, but Marie has fallen head over heels in love with the reserved and honest dockworker Jean. The lovers desperately try to escape together with the help of their disabled neighbor, played by Mademoiselle Marice, alias Marie Epstein. (based on: Samantha Leroy, Cinema Ritrovato, 2016)
“The faithful Heart” (OT: Cœur fidèle) by Jean Epstein
Friday, February 9, 2024, 4.00 p.m.
Cinema Kinemathek Karlsruhe, Passage-Hof
The Victim of the Yella Rogesius
Director: R. Portegg (= Franz Eckstein and Rosa Porten), 1917, 58 min.
Accompaniment: Reiko EMURA (Klavier)
The film is set in the world of the circus. A young gentleman, Stephan, marries the circus rider Yella and must break off contact with his family, having first had to separate from his fiancée. Stephan becomes a jockey. A supposed friend, who himself wants to woo Yella, persuades him to have drinks before the race and gets him drunk. Yella takes over the race, but she cannot withstand the strain and dies.
Wanda Treumann in “The Victim of the Yella Rogesius”
by Rosa Porten and Franz Eckstein
Photo: © Collection Josef Jünger
Friday, February 9, 2024, 7.00 p.m.
Studio 3, Cinema Kinemathek, Passage-Hof
La Bohème
USA 1926, 93 Min.
Director: King Vidor, with Lilian Gish
Accompaniment: Richard Siedhoff
Paris, 1830: A group of poor, friendly artists live in the Latin Quarter. Rodolphe, the playwright among them, falls in love with his even poorer neighbor, the embroiderer Mimi. He jealously watches as the wealthy Vicomte Paul courts her. Inspired by Mimi, Rodolphe finally writes a play. The fact that his bread publisher has since fired him is something the ailing Mimi keeps from him. She works nights to support Rodolphe and asks the Vicomte to help him find a theater engagement. Success is near for Rodolphe, but for Mimi…
from: Berlinale 2020
Picture: © Collection Josef Jünger
Friday, 21.00 Uhr
Studio 3, Kino der Kinemathek, Passagehof
Broken Blossoms
USA 1919, 89 min.
Director: David W. Griffith, mit Lilian Gish
Accompaniment: Günter Buchwald (piano) and Frank Bockius (percussion)
Cheng Huan leaves his native China to spread the teachings of Buddha in the West. His optimism quickly fades after he experiences the brutal realities of London. One day, he meets a young girl, Lucy Burrows; she is the adopted daughter of prizefighter Battling Burrows, who drinks and mistreats her.
One evening, Lucy flees to Cheng, who lives in a room above his small shop. A love story begins between the two, but then one day a customer recognizes Lucy and tells her adoptive father. We know that this cannot end well. (according to Wikipedia)
Lilian Gish and Richard Barthelmes in “Broken Blossoms” by D. W. Griffith
Saturday, February 10 2024, 12.00 p.m.
Studio 3, Cinema Kinemathek, Passagehof
Il Padrone delle ferriere (The Master of the Ironworks)
Italy 1919, 75 min
Director: Eugenio Perego,.
Accompaniment: Sabine Zimmer (Klavier)
Clara, daughter of the Marquis of Beaulieu, has lost her entire fortune and must forgo her wedding to the Duke of Bligny. To escape poverty, she agrees to marry Filippo Derblay, a young man from humble beginnings who has become the owner of an ironworks through hard work. Clara considers Filippo an upstart and despises him, but he manages to prove her prejudices wrong and wins her heart. (from: 23rd Turin Film Festival)
.The film is based on a novel by Georges Ohnet, a very successful French author of serialized novels who is completely forgotten today.
Pina Menichelli (left) in “Il Padrone delle ferriere” byEugenio Perego
Photo: © Collection Josef Jünger
Saturday, February 10, 2024 3.00 p.m.
Jazz-Club, Passagehof
Silent films for young and old children / Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton and surprise film.
Total duration of the Program: ca. 60 minutes
Accompaniment: Sai Lento Reiko EMURA (piano) and Shinichi MINAMI (Percussion).
Craft and pantomime workshops with Susanna Krauthauser.
“The Rink”: Charlie works as a waiter in a restaurant, or at least tries to. Not only his colleagues, but also the customers suffer under his presence. Charlie flees the restaurant and goes roller skating. There he encounters a customer from the restaurant who is harassing a young woman (Edna Purviance). Charlie has to intervene – and what follows is top-notch slapstick.
Buster Keaton also delivers top-notch performances in “One Week.” Buster is newlywed and receives a prefabricated house as a gift, which he still has to assemble. Everything is supposed to be finished in a week, but Buster is having a tough time…
Children are welcome in carnival costumes, which can ideally match the films; parents too!
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 6.00 p.m.
Studio 3, Cinema Kinemathek, Passagehof
The Wonderful Lie of Nina Petrowna (OT: Die wunderbare Lüge der Nina Petrowna)
Germany 1928, 117 min.
Director: Hanns Schwarz
Accompaniment: Camille Phelep (Klavier)
Young Nina Petrovna is the lover of a rich and powerful Cossack colonel. But life in luxury has long ceased to make Nina happy. When she meets the impoverished officer Michael Andreyevich and falls instantly in love with him, she decides to give up her luxurious life for him. The Cossack colonel, however, is not so easily deterred. Moreover, life in poverty leads the young couple into great difficulties. And then the young officer makes a fatal mistake. … (from the FWM Foundation)
“The wonderful Lie of Nina Petrowna” by Hanns Schwarz
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 8.30 p.m, Film Concert and Closing Event
Jazz-Club, Passagehof
Nosferatu
Germany, 1922, 94 min.
Director: Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau
Accompaniment: Trio Transfomer Lui Hui Chun Lin (Violoncello), Sabine Zimmer (piano) and Klaus Roth (voice, percussion)
For the benefit of our discerning audience: The plot of this progenitor of all vampire films is assumed to be familiar. Or is it? So: Dracula, who here calls himself Nosferatu or Count Orlok, wants to leave his castle somewhere in Transylvania. He has contacted a real estate agent in Wismar, who sends his somewhat naive and romantically inclined assistant to Transylvania to organize the “move.” And then disaster strikes Wismar. As is well known, a virgin must sacrifice herself so that Nosferatu can finally “die.”
“Nosferatu” by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau
Watch the Festival Trailer now!
