The General

The 2009 Australia’s Silent Film Festival takes place 15,18, 24 and 25 October at the Dixson Room and Metcalfe Auditorium, both at the State Library of Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW. This is the programme:

Thu-15/10/09

7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
The Mark Of Zorro – 1920 (USA)
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
Starring Douglas Fairbanks, Snr
Directed by Fred Niblo
Tickets: $30/$15 concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 107 minutes
Live music: accompanist Ms Sharolyn Kimmorley and Ian Bloxsom, Australia’s Percussionist Extraordinaire
Presenter: Dr Stephen Juan

Sun-18/10/09

10:30 AM to 11:15 AM
The Return of The General and The Rail Rodder
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
(Short films to introduce Buster Keaton’s The General)
Admission free
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 35 minutes

11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
The General – 1927 (USA)
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
“A short introduction will be given by Orson Welles, preeminent figure of world cinema.”
Starring Buster Keaton
Tickets: $25/$15 Concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 75 minutes
Live music: accompanist Professor Robert Constable
Presenter: Bruce Elder, Senior Entertainment Writer with the Sydney Morning Herald

2:15 PM to 4:30 PM
The Story of the Kelly Gang – 1906 (Australia) and The Sentimental Bloke – 1919 (Australia)
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
Tickets: $25/$15 concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 100 minutes
Live music: accompanist Professor Robert Constable
Presenter: Bruce Elder, Senior Entertainment Writer with the Sydney Morning Herald

Sat-24/10/09

10:15 AM to 12:30 PM
Destiny – 1921 (Germany) Der Müde Tod
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
Starring Lil Dagover, Rudolph Klein-Rogge
Directed by Fritz Lang
Tickets: $25/$15 concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 114 minutes
Live music: accompanist Mauro Colombis
Presenter: Klaus Krischok, Director, Goethe-Institut Australien

1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Comedies for Kids (and the young at heart)
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
Tickets: $25/$15 concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 87 minutes
Live music: accompanist Mauro Colombis
Presenter: Eddie Cockrell

3:00 PM to 5:15 PM
Seventh Heaven – 1927 (USA)
State Library of NSW the Dixson Room Macquarie Street Sydney
Starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell
Directed by Frank Borzage
Tickets: $25/$15 concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 113 minutes
Live music: accompanist Mauro Colombis
Presenter: Eddie Cockrell

Sun-25/10/09

10:15 AM to 11:45 AM
Man with a Movie Camera – 1929 (USSR)
State Library of NSW the Metcalfe Auditorium Macquarie Street Sydney
Director: Dziga Vertov
Camera: Mikhael Kaufman
Editor: Elsaveta Svilova
Tickets: $15/$10 concession
Film: digital presentation with soundtrack
Duration: 68 minutes
Presenter: Dr Karen Pearlman, Head of Screen Studies; Australian Film, Television and Radio School

12:15 PM to 2:30 PM
Flesh and the Devil – 1927 (USA)
State Library of NSW the Metcalfe Auditorium Macquarie Street Sydney
Starring John Gilbert, Greta Garbo and Lars Hanson
Directed by Clarence Brown
Tickets: $15/$10 concession
Film: digital presentation with soundtrack
Duration: 113 minutes
Presenter: Jason Di Rosso

3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema – 1896-1912 (France). A selection of his fantastic magic films and imaginary journeys.
State Library of NSW the Metcalfe Auditorium Macquarie Street Sydney
Tickets: $25/$15 concession
Film: digital presentation
Duration: 75 minutes
Live music: accompanist Mauro Colombis
Presenter: Ruth Hessey

Further details on the films being shown, plus booking details and so forth, can be found on the festival site. Each year the festival inducts Australian pioneer silent film figures into a Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees are Annette Kellerman and Snub Pollard, biographies of both of whom can be found on the site.