Abstractions

This program collects Germaine Dulac’s three technical studies or "abstract" films from the late 1920s, plus L'Invitation au voyage, a subversive short-form work Dulac considers “a melody of images,” and her iconic The Seashell And The Clergyman, the first-ever Surrealist film (its public premiere was one year prior to Un Chien Andalou (Luis Buñuel, 1929)).

Prints courtesy of Light Cone. All films directed by Germaine Dulac.

Live musical accompaniment provided by Elaine Carey Haswell and Cliff Retallick!

Los Angeles Filmforum members receive free admission to this series at the Billy Wilder Theater box office!

Étude cinématographique sur une arabesque  (1929)

Cinematic Study of an Arabesque

35mm, b/w, silent, 7 min. Cast: Marie-Anne Malleville.

Thèmes et variations  (1928)

35mm, b/w, silent, 9 min. Cast: Lilian Constantini.

Disque 957  (1928)

Record 957

16mm, b/w, silent, 6 min.

L'invitation au voyage  (1927)

Invitation to a Voyage

16mm, b/w, silent, 33 min. Cast: Emma Gynt, Raymond Dubreuil, Robert Mirfeuil, Paul Lorbert.

La Coquille et le clergyman  (1927)

The Seashell and the Clergyman

35mm, b/w, silent, 40 min. Screenwriter: Antonin Artaud. Cast: Alexander Allin, Génica Athanasiou, Lucien Bataille.