12 masterpieces of the World cinema. The Passion of Joan of Arc by Carl Theodor Dreyer (La Passion de Jeanne d"Arc, 1928)

During the 1958 World Fair in Brussels, a list of the 12 best films of all times was created. Since then, the making of such lists is practiced by many institutions, individuals and the media, but the original, Belgian list still remains an important reference point. For this session, expert Nikolai Izvolov will present The Passion of Joan of Arc by Carl Theodor Dreyer and investigate why it was added to the prestigious Belgian list.
The original cut of The Passion of Joan of Arc film was dramatically rediscovered in Oslo in 1981 after being presumed-lost. For a silent movie, this world-famous film is scattered with unconventional elements – most notably, a repeated use of facial close ups without stage make-up and a focus on a very short period of Joan of Arc’s epic tale.

Nikolai Izvolov - film expert, head of department of History and Theory of the Cinematic Art Research Institute.