La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc
[The Passion of Joan of Arc] (1928)
Orlando edition
12:40 PM - 2:35 PM
Directed By Carl Theodor Dreyer
Starring Maria Falconetti
Moose's Comment: "Squirrel and I saw this film at one of the Brandom R. Nielsen Film Festivals in Baltimore, and I knew immediately that I wanted to show it at a JRFF. In the same way as Battleship Potemkin, this film is totally different from anything you've ever seen. The intense close-ups on Joan's face as she fights to maintain her dignity are almost painful to watch. It's an amazing character study, especially considering it's a silent film, with not a single word of dialogue. A stunning, unusual film."
Squirrel's Comment: "The visuals of the film are incredible, but for me, it's the added opera oratorio that really packs the punch. Each on its own is powerful, but when put together... you've got to experience it to understand."
Trivia: This film was thought to be lost for decades - until 1981, when a single, perfect print was found in the closet of a mental hospital in Oslo, Norway.