After a successful screening of Nosferatu accompanied by AutonomY’s new soundtrack, the film composers return to Zienema. This time with Ménilmontant, a silent drama from 1926 by Russian-French director Dimiti Kirsanoff, in which Nadia Sibirskaïa delivers a fine piece of acting as an orphaned young woman who shares a love interest with her sister, against the backdrop of Parisian streets. Famous film critic Pauline Kael described the work as her favorite film. To set the mood, we’ll first screen Brumes d’Automne, a melancholic piece of visual poetry by Kirsanoff from 1929 in which Sibirskaïa once again shows her talent.

Father and daughter Evert and Lesley Verbeek composed and produced this soundtrack under the name AutonomY. Mixing electronic music with old samples, they create an interesting interplay of old and new, which breathes new life into the drama classic. Afterwards, Lesley Verbeek will join us for a Q&A to talk about their work process.

The soundtrack will be published before the screening in the podcast VPRO Nieuwe Filmmuziek Op 4 (from May 22) and broadcast on VPRO Radio 4 (on May 25 from 23.00 to 00.00). 

-Lucas

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