CINEMA CLASSICS SEMINAR: THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC

About this event

$30 for BMFI members, $40 for non-members Tuesday, September 22, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Instructor: Jennifer Fleeger, Ph.D., Montclair State University The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) spans but a few hours in its subject’s life yet had enormous implications for the history of cinema. Filmed almost entirely in close-ups, Joan demonstrates that it is possible to convey the weight of a real person’s emotions through the medium of the actor. How it does so can be attributed to director Carl Dreyer, but also to star Renée Falconetti, the film’s cinematography, and the story’s refusal to ground its images in logical space. In our exploration of these questions, we’ll begin with the history of the close-up on screen and how Dreyer changed its meaning and value. We’ll ask whether it’s possible for a movie to be spiritual, considering the conditions under which films can transcend their material. We will situate Dreyer’s film among other representations of Joan of Arc to explain what makes his approach so unique. Although the film is rooted in the historical circumstances of Joan’s trial, it’s not a historical epic, and offers none of the action or supernatural effects that filled Joan’s life. What, then, makes it so powerful? As Anton Dolin wrote, The Passion of Joan of Arc is, “Simply the best (silent) film about (silent) resistance.” As such, Dreyer’s monumental work is about far more than one 15th-century woman’s faith. *The film screening will feature live accompaniment by Rasaan Hakiem.