DREYER / MELLANO
Dreyer's The Président, accompanied live by Olivier Mellano.
Wednesday 14 October (20:00), at the Epicerie moderne (Feyzin).
Don't miss the most unusual film concert of the Festival -- Olivier Mellano and his electric guitar accompanying Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer's silent first film, The President (1918).
The story
When a girl is accused of killing a baby, the judge realises she is his own daughter, born of a woman he left long ago. Instead of convicting her, he takes her away with him to give her a chance to rebuild her life.
Rock guitarist Olivier Mellano has worked with leading French rock stars, including Christophe Miossec, Philippe Katerine, Dominique A., Laetitia Sheriff and Yann Tiersen. He has done film concerts for a range of films -- F.W. Murnau's Sunrise, Bertrand Blier's Buffet froid (Cold Cuts) and Steven Spielberg's Duel, which he presented at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Oullins -- and performs regularly throughout Europe. This is the first time he has accompanied Dreyer's The President.
Olivier Mellano accompanying live Steven Spielberg's film Duel (1972)
© DR Rija Randrianasolo
Portrait of Mellano
© DR Bareteau-Lapasin
Black and white in colour: story of a restoration
The restoration of Dreyer's first film was a remarkable technical and artistic achievement. It was originally shown in a tinted version, as the technology of the time allowed a range of shades to be used. Many of these techniques were lost in the 1950s and the film was thereafter only shown in "basic" black and white.
In 1998, the Danish Film Archives, helped by historian Marguerite Enberg, began restoration of a tinted version using the original script and giving the film its very special colour. The film's 224 shots were recorded with 116 subtitles. The result was shown for the first time at the 1999 Copenhagen Film Festival. This is the first time it is being shown in France.
Emotion Picture
