Emanu-El members David Bodrug and Joseph Sheppard perform live electronic music to accompany a special screening of The Golem—the 1920 German silent film based on Hassidic folklore. That a film that drew from, and remained faithful to, a Jewish folk story became one of the more popular films of that decade illustrates how integrated Jewish communities were in German society at the time.
The Golem is considered a classic of German Expressionist Horror, along with films such as Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Cagliari. The Golem story is also thought to have influenced Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
To provide cultural and historical context, the film will be introduced by Dr. Peter Gölz and Tatiana Dickson of UVic’s Department of Germanic and Slavic studies. The soundtrack will be performed on an enhanced sound system, and feature dark ambient and drone music well-suited to the horror themes and tensions in the film. Additionally, the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival will have a table set up in the lobby with information about this year’s film festival—and tickets and passes will be available for pick-up or purchase.
The presentation starts at 7:00pm at Cinecenta in the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria. Regular Cinecenta admission rates apply: $7.75 non-members, $6.75 Cinemagic Members, $5.75 for Seniors and Students.
This presentation is made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies, the Garden City Tape Music Society, Cinecenta, the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival and the Jewish Federation of Victoria & Vancouver Island.
