We Are Movie Geeks

There nothing better than seeing silent films with live music, especially in the cozy confines of Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood in Webster Groves). This Sunday, February 15^th, at 7pm, Webster University, in conjunction with Cinema St. Louis, will screen the 1927 French film VERDUN, VISIONS OF HISTORY from director Léon Poirier accompanied by live music from pianist Hakim Bentchouala-Golobitch. Admission is FREE.

Because of the political, social, economic and cultural impact it generated worldwide, the First World War is a singular event in the history of mankind. With 4.4 million soldiers mobilized and a financial  contribution of 500 billion today, the United States played a major role in the Great War and the victory of  the Triple Entente. The long French-American friendship was strengthened by this conflict.

Since September 2014, as part of the worldwide commemoration of the centenary of the First World War, the Cultural Service at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, in partnership with Midwest US partner institutions, is organizing a series of events aimed at raising general public awareness about the key issues of the First World War.In that framework, the Cultural Service at the Consulate of France in Chicago has partnered with local institutions to present the Midwest tour of the ciné-concert VERDUN, VISIONS OF HISTORY at Webster University in partnership with Cinema St. Louis.The screening will be presented with live piano accompaniment by internationally acclaimed French composer and pianist Hakim Bentchouala-Golobitch, who plays the original score by André Petiot.

VERDUN, VISIONS OF HISTORY (1927) was directed by pioneering director and WWI veteran Léon Poirier (French, 1884–1968) about one of the most devastating battles of World War I—the Battle of Verdun in 1916. The Midwest tour was made possible thanks to a grant from the Institut français and the Mission du Centenaire 1914-1918 in Paris in partnership with the Cinémathèque de Toulouse and the Cultural Service at the Consulate General of France in Chicago.

On the occasion of the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the armistice, French director and WWI veteran Leon Poirier meticulously reconstructed on the original site the great facts of the Battle of Verdun, in which more than 200,000 died between February and October 1916.

Conceived as a pacifist work, juxtaposing news images, fight scenes of great documentary realism, and fiction, Poirier re-created the horrendous battle between French and German troops, and chronicled the ferocity of the war and its tremendous human toll. Most of the actors in the film were themselves war veterans, including Marechal Philippe Petain, and Poirier seamlessly meshed documentary footage with his re-enactments. The film has rarely been seen in recent years as most copies of the original silent version were lost during World War II. Some 50 years later, an original print was located in Moscow – it had been stolen from France by the Nazis and then retrieved by the Russians at the end of the war. It was restored in 2006 by La Cinémathèque de Toulouse at L’immagine Ritrovata’s lab (Bologna, Italy) with the support of the Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema.

Director Léon Poirier is one of the most original post-World War I French directors, best known for his silent films from 1913 onwards. He directed some 25 films between 1913 and 1949. His most famous film today is his drama-documentary depicting the World War I Battle of Verdun.  He began his career in the world of theater. After a serious accident and bankruptcy, Poirier was hired by Léon Gaumont to direct films. The aspiring filmmaker went on to direct five features before the breakout of WWI. Despite being exempted from military service, he voluntarily joined the army, where he became a lieutenant. After the war, he decided to devote himself fully to cinema. Under the leadership of Gaumont, the young director directed fictions before turning to documentaries like Black Journey (1926), which describes the great expedition organized by the automaker Citroën in Central Africa, La Croisière Jaune (1933), and Brazza ou l’épopée du Congo (1940).

An original orchestral musical score composed by French composer André Petiot was played at Verdun, Visions of History’s premiere at the Opera Garnier on November 8, 1928. Reduced to a piano score later, the original score was found by the Cinémathèque de Toulouse at the National Library of France, illustrated with all the original intertitles of the film.

Born in Algiers, Pianist Hakim Bentchouala-Golobitch began his musical studies in France. He received a piano gold medal at the CNR of Toulouse and worked in Paris and New York. A graduate of international competitions, he specializes in early French music but also works with contemporary composers. Invited by many national and international festivals, Bentchouala-Golobitch gives solo recitals and performs in chamber music and orchestral settings. After learning the bandoneon, Bentchouala-Golobitch also gives many concerts with the tango nuevo quintet Hora Cero and the Tango Elan quartet. He also attended a theatrical training Comedia and initiated a pianist acting career. He composed and performed the music for many silent films, including Louis Feuillade’s Judex, Jacques Feyder’s Gribiche, Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last and Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg’s New Babylon.

Le Centre Francophone at Webster University promotes French and Francophone culture in St. Louis, which has a strong French heritage. Made possible by the Jane and Bruce Robert endowment, the Centre sponsors cultural events, invites writers and scholars, and works closely with the Cultural Service at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, the AATF, and the Francophile associations in Missouri.

The Webster University Film Series, housed in the School of Communications, is the Midwest’s premier hosting venue for American and foreign films. The Series is host to speakers and visiting artists who address the pertinent issues in films presented. In an effort to further integrate film with education, the Film Series provides workshops with artists and experts.