Underwater Movie Night featuring The Passion of Joan of Arc
CL RECOMMENDS
CRITIC’S PICK
Fri., Oct. 19
Danish director Carl Dreyer’s 1928 silent film ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’ is an astounding cinematic achievement. The portrayal of the title character by Renee Jeanne Falconetti (credited as Maria Falconetti) is one of the greatest performances in film history. Dyer based his screenplay on actual transcripts of the trial of Joan, a teenager in France around 1420, whose self-declared heavenly hallucinations compelled her to join and eventually lead the French army in a series of victories against the English in the Hundred Years’ War. Captured by the English, Joan was tried by a corrupt ecclesiastic court and burned at the stake.
The film is predominantly shot in close-ups of the characters’ faces in stark settings in a courtroom and prison. Oddly angled framing and harsh lighting contribute to the film’s tense, claustrophobic, relentlessly paced drama. Over the years, W8ing4UFOs have performed a live improvised soundtrack to ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’ numerous times, giving the band keen insight into the film’s moods, tones and pacing. Each performance is a new journey into humanity's darkest heart.
Sharing the bill are FRANKS, an electro-ambient-atmospheric duo featuring banjo-bowing Frank Schultz and cello-caressing Brian Halloran; and Joan in the Belly of the Whale, which, at this point, is anybody’s guess. – Doug DeLoach
From the venue:
Underwater Movie Night: Joan & The Whale featuring the classic film "The Passion Of Joan Of Arc" soundtracked by W8ing4UFOs with Joan In The Belly Of The Whale and Franks.
The Passion of Joan of Arc is a 1928 French film based on the actual trial record of Joan of Arc. Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer and stars Renée Jeanne Falconetti as Joan. It is widely regarded as a landmark of cinema, especially for its production, Dreyer's direction and Falconetti's performance, which is often listed As one of the finest in cinema history, the film summarizes the time that Joan of Arc was a captive of England, depicting her trial and execution.
Underwater Movie Night featuring The Passion ... | 10/10/2025 7:00 PM