Il Cinema Ritrovato 2024: Favourites & Discoveries

70mm projection of North by Northwest in the Piazza Maggiore

The XXXVIII edizione of Il Cinema Ritrovato ran from June 22 to 30. In reality, it started a few days before the official date and stretched into one extra day at the tail end of it. Four hundred-plus titles were screened, from early cinema to documentaries made in 2023-2024, from great classics to obscure gems, from experimental films to pornography. This edition also finally saw the opening of the restored Cinema Modernissimo which now has turned into the heart of the festival.

5,700 from 72 countries acquired the festival pass, 700 higher than last year.

The title of all the films and moving images screened can be accessed here.

I asked some of the attendees about what they had taken from the festival. They generously sent me the titles they have liked and those they have discovered, or those they have rediscovered and now loved. 155 festivalgoers –  including curators, archivists, festival bums, film historians, 35mm fanatics, programmers, writers and critics – have responded to this call for building a new canon based on what we played this year.

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Antti Alanen (Finland)

Absolute favourite: Sois belle et tais-toi! (Delphine Seyrig, 1981)

Major discovery: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Note: I focused on Anatole Litvak, Kōzaburō Yoshimura and Cinemalibero, all highly rewarding. 

Annouchka de Andrade (France)

Absolute favourite: Sarah Maldoror's Carnival Trilogy (1979-1980)

Major discovery: Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986)

José Arroyo (UK)

Absolute favourite: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Major discovery: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Kaveh Askari (US)

Absolute favourite: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discovery: The Deep Blue Sea (Anatole Litvak, 1955)

Anna Babos (Hungary)

Absolute favourite: McCabe & Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman, 1971)

Major discovery: La Nouba des femmes du Mont Chenoua (Assia Djebar, 1978)

Notes: Other favourites and discoveries: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène; Thierno Faty Sow, 1988); Hunting the Red Deer, with the Devon and Somerset Staghounds (Harold M. Lomas; Charles Urban, 1904); Le cake-walk forcé (1907); Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (Abel Gance, 1927); Borets i kloun (Boris Barnet; Konstantin Yudin, 1957); The Bus (Haskell Wexler, 1965); On the Bowery (Lionel Rogosin, 1956); Divorzio All'italiana (Pietro Germi, 1961); La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963); Coup pour coup (Marin Karmitz, 1972); Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964); Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)

Geoffrey Badger (UK)

Absolute favourite: Homo Faber (Volker Schlöndorff, 1991)

Major discovery: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Minoo Baharmast (Iran/US)

Absolute favourite: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

Major discovery: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929)

René Baharmast (US)

Absolute favourite: Au Secours! (Abel Gance, 1924)

Major discovery: Tropici (Gianni Amico, 1968)

Miriam Bale (US)

Absolute favourite: The Working Girls (Stephanie Rothman, 1974)

Major Discovery: All the films by Kōzaburō Yoshimura, in particular Yoru no sugao [The Naked Face of Night] and Nishijin no shimai [Sisters of Nishijin]

Matthew Anthony Barrington (UK)

Absolute favourite: Osaka Monogatari (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1957)

Major Discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Cecilia Barrionuevo (Argentina)

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956) + Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Arta Barzanji (Iran/UK)

Absolute favourite: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Major discovery: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

James Bell (UK)

Absolute favourite: A Foreign Affair (Billy Wilder, 1948)

Major discovery: Coeur de Lilas (Anatole Litvak, 1932)  

Notes: Honourable mentions to: two great Iranian discoveries in Entezar (Amir Naderi) and Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr (Marva Nabili); The Bus (Haskell Wexler); The Wind (Victor Sjoström) in the Piazza Maggiore, with Carl Davis score; Chemi Bebia (Kote Mikaberidze); Machiko Kyo in Clothes of Deception (Yoshimura); James Cagney in City for Conquest (Litvak); Being reminded of just how great Jean Arthur could be, in both A Foreign Affair and Talk of the Town (George Stevens).

Janet Bergstrom (US)

Absolute favourite: All Duke Ellington shorts

Major discovery: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Matthew H. Bernstein (US)

Absolute favourite: La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963)

Major discovery: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935) + Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988)

Natalie Bernstein (US)

Absolute favourite: Vražda ing. čerta [The Murder of Mr Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970)

Major discovery:  The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett, 1999)

Friedemann Beyer (Germany)

Absolute favourite: La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963)

Major discovery: Mykkätrilogia (Silent Trilogy) (Juho Kuosmanen) (2012-2023)

Daniel Bird (UK)

Absolute favourite: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discovery: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

John Bleasdale (Italy)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: The Bus (Haskell Wexler, 1965)

Note: My most enjoyable experience was The Wind (followed by McCabe and Mrs Miller which improves on every viewing!)

Camille Blot-Wellens (France/Sweden)

Absolute favourite: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977) +  Andriesh (Yakov Bazelyan & Sergei Parajanov, 1954)

Note: The choice [HE Who Gets Slapped] is also based on the screening (35mm, with wonderful music accompaniment). Andriesh [for] wonderful Sovcolor print.

Jan Bollen (Belgium)

Absolute favourite: Ingmarsarvet [The Ingmar Inheritance] (Gustaf Molander, 1925)

Major discovery: the films of Kōzaburō Yoshimura

Max Borg (Switzerland)

Absolute favourite: Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)

Major discovery: Malpertuis (Harry Kümel, 1971)

Notes: CARRIE, and I’m generally happy the festival has this evening slot for genre movies. | MALPERTUIS, because it’s not every day you get to hear Orson Welles dubbed in Flemish (and the director’s introduction about the pros and cons of restoration was terrific)

Mimi Brody (US)

Absolute favourite: Il cammino della speranza (Pietro Germi, 1950) + La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963)

Major discovery: Vražda ing. čerta [The Murder of Mr Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970)

Notes: Special mentions: La Visita, Italy, Antonio Pietrangelli/ The Sealed Soil, Iran, Marva Nabili/ Working Girls, USA, Stephanie Rothman

Lou Burkart (Germany)

Absolute favourite: Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986)

Major discovery: La Nouba des femmes du Mont Chenoua (Assia Djebar, 1978)

David Cairns (Scotland)

Absolute favourite: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjostrom, 1924)

Major discovery: L'armoire volante [The Cupboard was Bare] (Carlo Rim, 1948)

Notes: HE Who Gets Slapped – My favourite film of all time, and the one that got me off my arse and over to Bologna this year. | L'Armoire Volonte – Stunning restoration of a striking black comedy with surreal tinges.

Benoît Carpentier (France)

Absolute favourite: Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972) + HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924)

Major discovery: Conte cruel (Gaston Modot, 1930) + Coeur de Lilas (Anatole Litvak, 1932)

Notes: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström) and its highly inspired live score by Laura Agnusdei, Simone Cavina, Stefano Pilia, and Antonio Raia! Best projection experience: Lenticular and Mosaic Additive Systems in 16mm (Kodacolor, Agfacolor, Dufaycolor, Kodachrome in Ricordi [a colori] di famiglia 1931-1939) + Lucretia Lombard (Jack Conway, 1923) (it was a thrill to project this tinted print from 1928!). Best short film / feature film association: Love's Reward (Len Powers, Dippy-Doo-Dad series, 1924) + Der Letzte Mann (F.W. Murnau, 1924)

Duncan Carson (UK)

Absolute favourite: The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett, 1999)

Major discovery: Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988)

Forrest Cardamenis (US)

Absolute favourite: La Nouba des femmes du Mont Chenoua (Assia Djebar, 1978)

Major discovery: Conte cruel (Gaston Modot, 1930) 

Matheus Carvalho (Brazil)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956) + City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Notes: Most memorable silent film accompaniment: Neil Brand, Eduardo Raon and Frank Bockius for Quo Vadis? - Parts I and II (1924) and Cleaning Women for My Grandmother (Chemi Bebia, 1929) | ⁠Best archival prints: Anastasia (1956) and IB Technicolor print of Singin’ in the Rain (1952) | Best experiences of watching old favourites with a crowd in a beautiful setting: Carrie (1976) and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) at Cinema Modernissimo | Rarities I was excited to finally see: Tropico/ Tropici (1969) and The Deep Blue Sea (1955).

Flurin Casura (Switzerland)

Absolute favourite: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

Major discovery: La Nouba des Femmes du Mont Chen (Assia Djebar, 1978) + Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984)

Note: This year's festival was wonderful again! Many discoveries again (the entire series by Litvak and Yoshimura for one, but as last year, the most amazing ones came from the Cinemalibero series, which I caught in its entirety this time).

Sofie Cato Maas (Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: Al-Leil (Mohammad Malas, 1992)

Major discovery: Maya Miriana (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984)

Emilie Cauquy (France)

Absolute favourite: Amadeus (Milos Forman, 1984)

Major discovery: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

Mohamed Challouf (Tunisia)

Absolute favourite: Celluloid Underground (Ehsan Khoshbakht, 2023)

Major discovery: Tasio (Montxo Armendáriz, 1984)

Ian Christie (UK)

Absolute favourite: Kohlhiesels Töchter (Ernst Lubitsch, 1920)

Major discovery: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Note: Kohlhiesels Töchter only with John Sweeney's accompaniment.

Phil Clark (UK)

Absolute favourite: Amadeus (Milos Forman, 1984)

Major discovery: The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (Anatole Litvak, 1938)

Jo Comino (UK)

Absolute favourite: The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942)

Major discovery: Yoru no sugao [The Naked Face of Night] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1958)

Notes: Talk of the Town - the lightness of the endlessly surprising love triangle against the clout of a mob whipped to a palpable frenzy by corruption and greed. Scarily relevant. Transfixed by all four of the Yoshimura films that I saw (Chijo, Itsuwaru seiko, Yoru no kawa, Yoru no sugao). The latter had actor Machiko Kyo with her pursed lips and self-possession in an All About Eve role AND colour. 

Philip Concannon (UK)

Absolute favourite: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Major discovery: Yoru no sugao [The Naked Face of Night] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1958)

Note: Despite all of the great films I saw for the first time, I was tempted to list the Cinema Modernissimo as my major discovery. It's a dream venue to watch a movie in, and a wonderful addition to the festival.

Lorenzo Codelli (Singapore/Italy)

Absolute favourite: Die Sonnhofbäuerin (Karl Kurzmayer & Wilfried Fraß, 1948) [and the whole remarkable program ‘Dark Heimat’]

Major discovery: Tasio (Montxo Armendáriz, 1984)

Paola Cristalli (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Shanghai Express (Josef von Sternberg, 1932)

Major discovery: Tovarich (Anatole Litvak, 1937) + Rome moderne et antique (Camille Legrand, 1904)

Major minor delight: Date with Duke (George Pal, 1947)

Doug Dibbern (US)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discovery: Borec i kloun [The Wrestler and The Clown] (Boris Barnet, 1957)

Bryony Dixon (UK)

Absolute favourite: Kohlhiesels Töchter (Ernst Lubitsch, 1920)

Major discovery: A Foreign Affair (Billy Wilder, 1948)

Notes: Honourable mention to Quo Vadis? (Gabriellino D'Annunzio/ Georg Jacoby 1924), Dévaliseurs Nocturnes (Gaston Velles) from A Fabulous year 1904 programme and Die Fussballspieler (Hans Haldenwang) 1973.

Meriam Soraya Djemoui (Algeria)

Absolute favourite: Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986)

Major discovery: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Nabil Djedouani (Algeria)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discovery: Al-Leil (Mohammad Malas, 1992)

Robert Doerr (Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929)

Major discovery: Vražda ing. čerta [The Murder of Mr Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970)

Stefana Dragan (Romania/UK) 

Absolute favourite: Onna No Saka [A Woman's Uphill Slope] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1960)

Major discovery: Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984)

Zoé Duflot (France) 

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery: Die seltsame Geschichte des Brander Kasper (Josef von Báky, 1949)

Bernard Eisenschitz (France)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Mitra Farahani (Iran/Italy)

Absolute favourite: Sorry Wrong Number (Anatole Litvak, 1948)

Mark Fuller (UK)

Absolute Favourite: Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders)

Major Discovery: Act of Violence (Fred Zinneman)

Note: You didn't ask for Best Strand, but for me, the Yishimura retrospective.

Sophie Engberg Sonne (Denmark)

Absolute favourite: Shanghai Express (Josef von Sternberg, 1932)

Major discovery: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Note: The screening of Anatole Litvak’s City for Conquest paired with Pennebaker’s short film Daybreak Express was a moment of pure movie magic for me!

David Filipi (US)

Absolute favourite: The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh, 1939)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Note: I feel a bit sheepish picking a film I’ve seen before and a Hollywood studio one on top of that but, damn, I hadn’t seen The Roaring Twenties for ages and it’s the apex of the WB gangster cycle and the restoration was spectacular. I really appreciated the personal insights by Wim Wenders before Devil’s Doorway and Volker Schlöndorff before Der Blaue Engel. Happy to finally see Chantal Akerman’s Golden Eighties but, as someone who lived through it, it was tough to handle that full injection of 1980s clothes, hair, etc. Also great to have the chance to see Sembène’s Camp de Thiaroye…amazing.

Sara García Villanueva (Spain)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discovery: Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra) 

Geoffrey Gardner (Australia)

Absolute favourite: The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh, 1939)

Major Discovery: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Philippe Garnier (France)

Absolute favourite: Man, Woman and Sin (Monta Bell, 1927)

Major discovery: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956) [and Yoshimura in general]

Valerio Greco (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discovery: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965) + Merlusse (Marcel Pagnol, 1935) + Chemi bebia (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929)

NOTE: Major rediscovery: Vrazda ing. Certa (Ester Krumbachová) + Quo Vadis? (Gabriellino D’Annunzio, Georg Jacoby) | I was very moved and fascinated by the rediscovery of the hidden Tehran archive of Ahmad Jorghanian seen in Khoshbakht's Celluloid Underground (2023), Wim Wenders' introduction to Yasujirō Ozu's brilliant Umarete wa mita keredo (1932), the 16mm format (notably Lucretia Lombard 100 years old print) organised by Cinémathèque16, the brand new restorations of MoMA's The Wind (1927) in 4K with the perfect score of Carl Davis, of Toho's Godzilla (1954) and Shichinin no samurai (1957), of Nikkatsu's Tokyo Nagaremono (1966) where the hero sings and whistles, Murnau-Stiftung's Kohlhiesels Töchter and Disney's 4K of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Simply adored it madly every single Dietrich screening I did, the must-see Feuillaude's serial Judex (1916) and the points of view inside Modot's feature Conte Cruel (1930). Also, I would like to mark the Film Preservation Associates' brilliant restoration project of the 1927 Laurel and Hardy short films, the tragic Maya Miriga (1984) by Nirad Mohapatra restored by the Film Heritage Foundation, the rediscovered Das Recht zu leben (1927) well-introduced by Tamara Shvediuk. But also unexpected (re)discoveries of films on my behalf, as Pietrangeli's La Visita (1963) with the big fake ass of Sandra Milo's character, the 70mm screenings of Hitch's North by Northwest and Ford's The Searchers, my first real screenings of Wenders' sparkling films Buena Vista Social Club + Paris Texas and Litvak's Tovarich (1937). The closing with the porn/fun experience of The Devil in Miss Jones (1973) and the symphony of colors that arise from the emotions in Demi's Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964).

Sergio M. Grmek Germani (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Sergei Parajanov's Dumka, Pervyy paren, Ukrainskaja rapsodija

Major discoveries: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974) + Khak-e sar bé mohr (Marva Nabili) + Celluloid Underground (Ehsan Khoshbakht, 2023)

Notes: At least three masterpieces in the Sergej Paradjanov Ukrainian period 1954-1965, not minor to his following Armenian-Georgian-international works (so also his Moldova 1951 starting should be discovered). Two masterpieces of the great Iranian prerevolutionary cinema (Entezar, 1974, by Amir Naderi and Khak-e sar bé mohr, 1977, by Marva Nabili), together with the essential film diary Celluloid Underground, 2023, by Ehsan Khoshbakht. The wonderful Gunn Wållgren in Gustaf Molander's Ordet (1943) and Kvinna otan ansikte (1947, splendidly written by Ingmar Bergman) allowed me to understand why Dreyer would prefer her for his secret Swedish masterpiece Två människor. [Also] Man Trouble (1930) by Berthold Viertel with the great Dorothy Mackaill [and] Phase IV (1974) by Saul Bass in a vintage release print followed by the director's cut alternative ending.

Mania Gregorian (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

Major discovery: Cœur de Lilas (Anatole Litvak, 1932)

Matthieu Grimault (France)

Absolute favourite: Umarete Wa Mita Keredo… [I Was Born, But…] (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932)

Major discovery: Aïn-el-Ghezal. La Fille de Carthage (Albert Samama Chikli, 1923-24)

Notes: Very Special Screening : Al-Leil, Mohammad Malas, 1992 / Special Screening: Bíly Ráj, Karel Lamač, 1924

Avril Guigue Ortiz (Venezuela/France/Belgium)

Absolute favourite: Small gauge: bw vs tinting / cameraless captured colours (part 2)

Major discovery: Itsuwareru Seiso [Clothes of Deception] (Kōzaburō Yoshimura)

Bregtje van der Haak (Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: Die Rebellion (Michael Haneke)

Major discovery: Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)

Oliver Hanley (Germany)

Absolute favourite: Emil! Babylied (1904)

Major discovery: Tokyo Drifter (Seijun Suzuki, 1966)

Jim Healy (US)

Absolute favourite: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Major discovery: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Kajsa Hedström (Sweden)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929) + Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Leo van Hee (Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963)

Major discovery: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929) 

Liz Helfgott (US)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discoveries: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977) + Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984)

Notes: Favorite performance: Edward G. Robinson in The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (Anatole Litvak, 1938); Françoise Rosay in Pension Mimosas (Jacques Feyder, 1935)

Maggie Hennefeld (US)

Absolute favourite: Vražda ing. čerta [The Murder of Mr Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970)

Major discovery: The filmography of Stephanie Rothman, whose work deserves a massive re-release!! Thanks be to MoMA for restoring 3 of her films. 

Notes: This was an especially strong edition for feminist cinema! Shout-outs to the Delphine Seyrig program, Sarah Maldoror's Carnaval short films, Céline Ruivo's brilliant documentary on feminist "cinégraphie", and Marva Nabili's long unseen, slow burn feminist masterpiece on domestic labor and simmering anger filmed in pre-Revolutionary Iran, THE SEALED SOIL (1977).

Boyd van Hoeij (Luxembourg)

Absolute favourite: Peeping Tom (Michael Powell)

Major discovery: Andriesh (Yakov Bazelyan & Sergei Parajanov)

Florian Höhensteiger (Germany)

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery: The Boatswain’s Mate (H. Manning Haynes)

Alexander Horwath (Austria)

Absolute favourite: Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen)

Major discovery: the films of Kozaburo Yoshimura, with Yoru no sugao [The Naked Face of Night] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1958) on top

Notes: Picking [Singin' in the Rain] may be viewed as a real “old hat” choice. But I won’t contort myself into ‘Moses supposes’ poses just to be a contrarian (against my own better judgement which I once again arrived at on Sunday, June 30, 2024 in Bologna).  

Marius Hrdy (Austria/Portugal)

Absolute favourite: Cinégraphies - Les Femmes de la Têmpete (Part I) (Céline Ruivo, 2023)

Major discovery: Printer Light Play (Arthur & Corinne Cantrill, 1978)

Pamela Hutchinson (UK)

Absolute favourite: Vražda ing. čerta [The Murder of Mr Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Alexander Jacoby (UK)

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major Discoveries: L'armoire volante [The Cupboard was Bare] (Carlo Rim, 1948) + L'immorale (Pietro Germi, 1967)

Notes: I had hazy memories of Litvak as a journeyman director from screenings on British TV back in the 1990s. L'Équipage, the first of his European films that I had seen, was better than I dared hope. I was knocked out by its stylistic facility and dramatic power, a ingenious melodramatic premise, and a resolution that had me in tears. I don't know if it was just because I found myself watching a lot of very serious films this year, but two black comedies seemed a breath of fresh air. I had never seen a Fernandel star vehicle and found him a compelling physical comedian; and I won't forget the procession of wardrobes being carried upstairs. L'Immorale was clever and funny, wry without being cynical, tender without being sentimental, and enormous fun. In accordance with curatorial protocol I have resisted nominating one of my own films, but found it particularly tempting this year!

Nick James (UK)

Absolute favourite: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Major discovery: A Foreign Affair (Billy Wilder)

Notes: Absurd as it will seem to colleagues that I name a Billy Wilder film starring Dietrich as a discovery, it had eluded me before and it felt like a discovery because it is unique in carrying hope alongside deep cynicism right to the end. As a comedy laid on the unspeakable circumstances of immediate postwar Berlin, it is unmatched, not least for the anger that rumbles beneath it. You can say it is tasteless but it depicts a moment when taste has already been abolished and it does so with all the darkly comic panache Wilder and Dietrich (and Friedrich Hollander) muster. From me it’s Wilder’s best film.

Garance Javelle (France) 

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: Szegénylegények [The Round-Up] (Miklós Jancsó)

Jessica Kiang (Ireland)

Absolute favourite: Nishijin no shimai [Sisters of Nishijin] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1952)

Major discovery: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940) 

Note: [For "major discovery"] the real answer is Kozaburo Yoshimura, but in order to differentiate from above, I'll go with City For Conquest.

Morten Kildebæk (Denmark)

Absolute favourite: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Major discovery: Merlusse (Marcel Pagnol, 1935)

Jongho Lee (South Korea/France)

Absolute favourite: Cœur de Lilas (Anatole Litvak, 1932) + HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924) + Giuseppina (James Hill)

Major discovery: Au secours! (Abel Gance) + En Kvinnas Ansikte (Gutaf Molander) + Fästmö Uthyres (Gutaf Molander)

Notes: Major rediscoveries [were] Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972) and Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975). The most astonishing/precious experience: Lucretia Lombard (Jack Conway, 1923) + Bílý ráj (Karel Lamač, 1924) + Women in Jazz and Scopitones at Piazzetta Pasolini (even though there were technical problems with projection) + La métamorphose du papillon (Gaston Velle, 1904) + 16mm prints of home movies in various colour systems. HE Who Gets Slapped as the major discovery/absolute favourite/most cinematographic experience. This year at Il Cinema Ritrovato was my first experience to participate from its beginning to the end. I only saw films that I’ve never seen before except 2 or 3. So there were lots of interesting discovery whether I enjoyed or perplexed by its unfamiliar aesthetic or by its story, such as Pink Narcissus (James Bidgood, 1971). I’d love to dedicate own category to all the films I saw but for the readers sake I’ll leave it like this.

Luca Lovisetto (Italy)

Absolute favourite: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924)

Major discovery: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Neil McGlone (UK)

Absolute favourite: The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942)

Major discovery: Devil's Doorway (Anthony Mann) + The Snake Pit (Anatole Litvak)

Brian Meacham (US)

Absolute favourite: Merlusse (Marcel Pagnol, 1935)

Major discovery: Nishijin no shimai [Sisters of Nishijin] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1952)

Bruno Mestdagh (Belgium)

Absolute favourite: Shanghai Express (Josef von Sternberg, 1932)

Major discovery: Cambrioleurs modernes (unknown, 1904)

Note: Biggest disappointment for poor restoration quality: Johnny Got His Gun (Dalton Trumbo)

Mosa Mpetha (UK)

Absolute favourite: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Major discovery: The Lavender Hill Mob (Charles Crichton)

Note: Also a special mention to my most highly anticipated film moments of the festival, seeing the premieres of the new Nicolás Guillén Landrián and Sarah Maldoror restorations. All were completely moving, tender and beautiful.

Vincent Paul-Boncour (France)

Absolute favourite: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Major discovery: Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)

Louise von Plessen (Germany)

Absolute favourite: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Major discovery: Decision Before Dawn (Anatole Litvak)

Daniel Kasman (US)

Absolute favourite: Khak-e sar bé mohr (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Major discovery: Kozaburo Yoshimura / Bizarro award: Tovarich (Anatole Litvak)

Liana Kassir (Lebanon)

Absolute favourite: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Major discovery: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Martin Koerber (Germany)

Absolute favourite: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

Major discovery: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

Maria Komninos (Greece)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927) 

Major discovery: Celluloid Underground (Ehsan Khoshbakht, 2023)

Chanel Kong (Hong Kong)

Absolute favourite: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Major discovery: Nuit noire, Calcutta (Marin Karmitz, 1964) + Tasio (Montxo Armendáriz, 1984)

Mikki Kressbach (US)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928) + Tokyo Drifter (Seijun Suzuki, 1966)

Major discoveries: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974) + Fluide et Mobilité d’un Larsen (Thierry Vincens, 1962)

Bob Krijger (Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: Shanghai Express (1932)

Major discovery: Kohlhiesels Töchter (1920)

Otto Kylmälä (Finland)

Absolute favourite: L'armoire volante [The Cupboard was Bare] (Carlo Rim, 1948)

Major discovery: Détresse et charité (Georges Méliès, 1904) + Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988) + Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Nadia Latif (UK)

Absolute favourite: The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh, 1939)

Major discovery: Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988)

Manuela Lazić (France/UK)

Absolute favourite: Destry Rides Again (George Marshall)

Major discovery: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

Notes: Destry Rides Again: A Western with everything I love from the genre, and more. The sexual tension between Dietrich and Stewart is so intense it's almost funny, and the physicality of everyone involved is surprising and intoxicating. Entezar: 48 perfect minutes of witnessing a life forever changed by an awakening to the mysteries of desire. You could feel the entire audience utterly mesmerised.

Albert Lee (Hong Kong)

Absolute favourite: The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942)

Major discovery: Nishijin no shimai [Sisters of Nishijin] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1952)

Samantha Leroy (France)

Absolute favourite: Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986)

Major discovery: Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984)

Ross Lipman (US)

Absolute favourite: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Major discovery:  Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Ian Mantgani (Ireland/UK)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940)

Chiara Marañón (Spain)

Absolute favourite: Umarete Wa Mita Keredo… [I Was Born, But…] (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932)

Major discovery: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956) + Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Miguel Marías (Spain)

Absolute favourite: Chijo (Kôzaburô Yoshimura, 1957) 

Major discovery: Man, Woman and Sin (Monta Bell, 1927)

Jefferey Masini (US)

Absolute favourite: Ich bin ein Elefant, Madame (Peter Zadek)

Major discovery: Stephanie Rothman's Group Marriage and The Working Girls

Mathieu Macheret (France)

Absolute favourite: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Major discovery: Umarete Wa Mita Keredo… [I Was Born, But…] (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932)

Paolo Mereghetti (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Decision Before Dawn (Anatole Litvak, 1951)

Major discovery: Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)

Dr. Richard Meyer and Susan Harmon (US)

Absolute favourite: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discovery: Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984)

Hind Mezaina (United Arab Emirates)

Absolute favourite: Onna No Saka [A Woman's Uphill Slope] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1960)

Major discovery: Al-Leil (Mohammad Malas, 1992) + Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988)

Notes: Favourite strand: Kozaburo Yoshimura, Undercurrents Of Modernity, tender films about a changing society post World War II, especially for women striving for better lives, financially and romantically. Beautiful prints, especially the ones in colour. Standouts from Cinemalibero: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980, restored) - That ending! 🪣🔥🥵 Maya Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984, restored), preceded by a moving intro by the filmmaker's son, Sandeep Mohapatra. Perfect pairing of films: Date with Duke (George Pal, 1947, 35mm) + Tovarich (Anatole Litvak, 1937, 35mm) / Daybreak Express (D.A. Pennebaker, 1953) + City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940, 35mm). Best timed screening: Singing in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, 1952) on a vintage 35mm Technicolor print, on the last day of the festival, Sunday at 11am in Arlecchino. Perfection. 

Philippe-Alain Michaud (France)

Absolute favourite: Quatre Nuits d'un rêveur (Robert Bresson, 1971)

Olaf Möller (Federal Republic of Germany)

Absolute favourite: Peršij parubok (Sargis P’araǰanyan) [alt transliteration: Pervyy paren (Sergei Parajanov)]

Major discovery: En natt (Gustaf Molander)

Dominique Nasta (Belgium/Romania)

Absolute favourite: Die Frau nach der Man sich sehnt (Kurt Bernhardt)

Major discovery: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929)

Notes: Die Frau nach der Man sich sehnt (Kurt Bernhardt): The whole "Marlene paradigm" is already there, ironic, ambivalent, amoral and deliciously challenging, proving that she often "directed herself" in subsequent films. Chemi Bebia: Film History definitely has to be rewritten!

Elliot Newton (UK)

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Carlos Nogueira (Portugal)

Absolute favourite: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Sam Peckinpah, 1973)

Major discovery: Geheimnisvolle Tiefe (G.W. Pabst)

Note: Special mention: Ordet (Gustaf Molander); Major disappointment: Technicolor dye transfer print of DELIVERANCE.

Johan Nordström (Japan/Sweden)

Absolute favourite: Il Ferroviere (Pietro Germi, 1956)

Major discovery: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Geoffrey O'Brien (US)

Absolute favourite: The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942)

Major discovery: The Deep Blue Sea (Anatole Litvak, 1955)

Note: In truth (for sheer elation) the Duke Ellington shorts would have been tied for first - and there were so many others contending.

Joyce Palmers (Belgium)

Absolute favourite: Divorzio all'italiana (Pietro Germi, 1961)

Major discovery: Freaks (Tod Browning, 1932)

Luis E. Parés (Spain)

Absolute favourite: Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (Marco Bellocchio, 1972)

Major discovery: L'armoire volante [The Cupboard was Bare] (Carlo Rim, 1948)

 

Lara Perski (Germany/Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discovery: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929) +  Itsuwareru Seiso [Clothes of Deception] (Kōzaburō Yoshimura)

Simon Petri-Lukács (Hungary)

Absolute favourite: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discovery: The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett, 1999)

Notes: Other favourites: Divorzio All'italiana (Pietro Germi, 1961), La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963), Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman, 1971), Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)  |  Other discoveries: Bilder aus Trier (Peter Marzen, 1902-1909), Hunting the Red Deer, with the Devon and Somerset Staghounds (Harold M. Lomas; Charles Urban, 1904), Jobard est demandé en mariage (Émile Cohl, 1911), Borets i kloun (Boris Barnet; Konstantin Yudin, 1957), Mayday (May First Media, 1970), La Nouba des femmes du Mont Chenoua (Assia Djebar, 1979), Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Jeanne Pommeau (Czech Republic)

Absolute favourite: Les Chiens policiers (Lucien Nonguet, 1907) + Deliverance (John Boorman 1972)

Major discovery: Women in Jazz : Theo Zwicky Collection (1935-1952) + Pink Narcissus (James Bidgood, 1971)

Notes: Magical musical moment: Frank Bockius singing in Emil! Babylied (Germany, 1904) piano by Stephen Horne and He who get slapped (Victor Seastrom, 1924) Music by: Laura Agnusdei, Simone Calvina, Stefano Pilia and Antonio Raia.

Simon Popek (Slovenia)

Absolute favourite: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Sam Peckinpah, 1973)

Major discovery: Nishijin no shimai [Sisters of Nishijin] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1952)

Stefan Ramstedt (Sweden)

Absolute favourite: Khak-e Sar bé Mohr (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Major discovery: Man Trouble (Berthold Viertel, 1930)

Ali Rasooli-Nejad (UK)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjostrom, 1928)

Major Discovery: Al-Leil (Mohammad Malas, 1992)

Tony Rayns (UK)

Absolute Favourite: L'Equipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major Discovery: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

Pauline de Raymond (France)

Absolute favourite: Body Double (Brian De Palma)

Major discovery: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Esteve Riambau (Spain)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discovery: The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942)

Zoé Richard (France)

Absolute favourite: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

Major discovery: Bílý Ráj (Karel Lamač)

Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi (Netherlands/Turkey)

Absolute favourite: Aïn-el-Ghezal. La Fille de Carthage (Albert Samama Chikli, 1923-24)

Major discovery: Emil! Babylied (1904) + Chrono de poche (Fondo Stucky) + Kohlhiesels Töchter (Ernst Lubitsch, 1920) + The Boatswain’s Mate (H. Manning Haynes) + Celluloid Underground (Ehsan Khoshbaht, 2023) 

Notes: This year I find it difficult to make choices. Among the films I saw, my absolute favourite has to be Ain-el-Ghezal/La fille de Carthage by Albert Samama Chikli. It is not only the new reconstruction that is lovely, but also the way Mariann Lewinsky presented it, sharing pages from Haydee Chikly's script and family photographs. Overal the Samama Chikli session was the one I was really looking forward to, and it certainly was great. [For major discoveries] I take the liberty to pick a few: 1904: Chrono de poche films by Stucky were marvelous! Emil! Babylied became spectacular thanks to Frank Bockius singing it brilliantly. A wife's revenge is definitely Cinema's First Nasty Women stuff! 1924: Kohlhiesels Töchter proved once more that Henny Porten is a wonderful comedian. The Boatswain's Mate starring Florence Turner was an unexpected joy! Finally I'd like to mention Celluloid Underground as a strong personal documentary that testifies to the redeeming power of cinema anywhere, anytime.  

Alex Ross (Portugal)

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery: Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980)

Note: L'Équipage pushes all of my cinematic buttons. Anatole Litvak's masterpiece.

Peter Christian Rude (Denmark)

Absolute favourite: Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)

Major discovery: L'armoire volante [The Cupboard was Bare] (Carlo Rim, 1948)

Céline Ruivo (France)

Absolute favourite: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924)

Major discovery: Borec i kloun [The Wrestler and The Clown] (Boris Barnet, 1957)

Giulia Saccogna (Italy/UK)

Absolute favourite: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)   + The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942)

Major discovery: Gösta Berlings saga (Mauritz Stiller, 1924) + Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929)

Kate Saccone (Netherlands)

Absolute favourite: Kohlhiesels Töchter (Ernst Lubitsch, 1920) + Children in the Surf, Coney Island (1904)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar bé Mohr (Marva Nabili)

Note: The new reconstruction of Aïn-el-Ghezal (1924) was a major highlight as well.

Esa Salovaara (Finland)

Absolute favourite: Onna No Saka [A Woman's Uphill Slope] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1960) + Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Major discovery: Die Frau Am Weg (Eduard von Borsody) + City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940) +  Il Ferroviere (Pietro Germi, 1956) 

Note: Major discovery all the films by Kozaburo Yoshimura. Two the emotionally most touching films: Il Ferroviere (Pietro Germi) and City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak).

Eva Sangiorgi (Italy/Austria)

Absolute favourite: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Aboubakar Sanogo (Burkina Faso/Canada)

Absolute favourites: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965) + Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discoveries: Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929) + Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Lone Sardemann (Denmark)

Absolute favourite: Umarete Wa Mita Keredo… [I Was Born, But…] (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977) + Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929)

Regina Schlagnitweit (Austria)

Absolute favourite: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Sam Peckinpah, 1973)

Major discovery: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery (filmmaker): Yoshimura Kozaburo | P.S.: Stephanie Rothman for President!

Beat Schneider (Switzerland)

Absolute favourite: Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956)

Major discovery: Die seltsame Geschichte des Brandner Kaspar (Josef von Baky, 1949)

Notes: YORU NO KAWA -- The colours and feel of the fabrics Kiwa creates, the deep emotions and values, the impression of a changing society. DIE SELTSAME GESCHICHTE DES BRANDNER KASPER -- The negotiations with death and the miraculous representation of heaven. The uplifting feeling I got.

Tamara Shvediuk (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (Marco Bellocchio, 1972)

Major discovery: J’ai tué (Roger Lion, 1924)

Josh Siegel (US)

Absolute favourite: Yoru no sugao [The Naked Face of Night] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1958)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Francesco Simeoni (UK)

Absolute favourite: Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972)

Major discovery: Malpertuis (Harry Kümel, 1971)

Christopher Small (Czech Republic/UK)

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöstrom, 1928)

Major discovery: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöstrom, 1924)

Notes: I was only at Il Cinema Ritrovato for two full days, but I made two remarkable “discoveries” pretty much back to back: one uber-canonical, one just regular canonical. Both masterpieces, both made at MGM by Victor Sjöstrom. I’ll give an extra shout out to Parazhanov’s very fine musical of romantic-nationalistic yearning Ukrainian Rhapsody (1961), Gottfried W. Bitzer’s four minute film about babies playing in the surf off Coney Island (1904), and the mini-masterpiece Hunting The Red Deer with the Devon and Somerset Staghounds (Charles Urban and Harold M. Lomas, 1904).

Imogen Sara Smith (US)

Absolute favourite: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927)

Major discovery: Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965) + Tasio (Montxo Armendàriz, 1984)

Note: Other major discoveries were Pension Mimosas (Jacques Feyder, 1935), Il cammino della speranza (Pietro Germi, 1950), Decision before Dawn (Anatole Litvak, 1951). Best Screening experience: The Wind (Victor Seastrom, 1928).

Jasmine Soliman (United Arab Emirates/UK)

Absolute favourite:  L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935) + Tovarich (Anatole Litvak, 1937) + Date with Duke (George Pal, 1947)

Major discoveries: Al-Leil (Mohammad Malas, 1992) + Onna No Saka [A Woman's Uphill Slope] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1960)

Juan Soto (Colombia/Spain)

Absolute favourite: Umarete Wa Mita Keredo… [I Was Born, But…] (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932)

Major discovery: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988) + Lucretia Lombard (Jack Conway)

Federico Striuli (Italy)

Absolute favourite: Ingmarsarvet [The Ingmar Inheritance] (Gustaf Molander, 1925)

Major discovery: Conte cruel (Gaston Modot, 1930) 

Can Sungu (Germany/Turkey)

Absolute favourite: Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988)

Major discovery: Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974)

John Sweeney (UK)

Absolute favourite: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

Major discovery: Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986) + Szegénylegények [The Round-Up] (Miklós Jancsó)

Notes: The 1904 programs were full of wonderful discoveries, but it’s hard to pick out a single film from them. The two Litvaks that I saw were great, and given that I’d never even heard of him, were real discoveries for me.

Frannie Trempe (US)

Absolute favourite: L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935)

Major discovery: Landfill 16 (Jennifer Reeves, 2011)

Matthew Turner (UK) 

Absolute favourite: The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928)

Major discovery: Coeur de Lilas (Anatole Litvak, 1932)

Notes: Though I had seen it before, The Wind (1927), in the Piazza Maggiore with the astonishing orchestra and the ACTUAL WIND blowing in our faces at key moments. A truly magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Cynthia Walk (US)

Absolute favourite: Der blaue Engel (Josef von Sternberg)

Major discovery:  Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)

Will Watt (UK)

Absolute favourite: Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988)

Major discovery: In Nome Della Legge (Pietro Germi, 1949)

Jon Wengström (Sweden)

Absolute favourite: HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924)

Major discovery: Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977)

Notes: HE Who Gets Slapped: Many films to choose from, but the excellent musical accompaniment, the Modernissimo setting, and a 35mm projection made this the highlight of the festival. Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr: Stunningly shot and framed, deeply moving and disturbing.

Claire West (UK)

Absolute favourite: Les Lèvres rouges (Harry Kümel, 1971)

Major discovery: Blues in the Night (Anatole Litvak, 1941)

Karl Wratschko (Austria)

Absolute favourites: A Wife's Revenge (Cricks and Sharp, 1904) + HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924) + Pink Narcissus (James Bidgood, 1971)

Major discovery: Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986)

Note:  [HE Who Gets Slapped] together with the amazing live score by Laura Agnusdei (tenor sax, electronic), Simone Cavina (drums, percussions, electronic), Stefano Pilia (electric guitar, electronic), Antonio Raia (sax, chalumeau, objects). Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman) → although I would have preferred to see the film on 35mm. I'm sorry that I choose every year so many films from the sections I am responsible for. I simply don't see many other films during the festival.

* * *

18 votes

Khak-e Sar Bé Mohr [The Sealed Soil] (Marva Nabili, 1977) [Iran]

13 votes

L’Équipage (Anatole Litvak, 1935) [France]

Yoru no kawa [Undercurrent] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1956) [Japan]

12 votes

Camp de Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembène, Thierno Faty Sow, 1988) [Senegal/Algeria/Tunisia]

11 votes

City for Conquest (Anatole Litvak, 1940) [US]

10 votes

Chemi Bebia [My Grandmother] (Kote Mikaberidze, 1929) [Soviet Union]

Entezar (Amir Naderi, 1974) [Iran]

The Wind (Victor Sjöström, 1928) [US]

9 votes

Bona (Lino Brocka, 1980) [Philippine]

HE Who Gets Slapped (Victor Sjöström, 1924) [US]

8 votes

Napoléon vu par Abel Gance (part 1) (Abel Gance, 1927) [France]

Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov, 1965) [Soviet Union]

7 votes

Māyā Miriga (Nirad Mohapatra, 1984) [India]

6 votes

Golden Eighties (Chantal Akerman, 1986) [Belgium]

Nujum al-Nahar [Stars in Broad Daylight] (Ossama Mohammed, 1988) [Syria]

The Talk of the Town (George Stevens, 1942) [US]

5 votes

Al-Leil (Mohammad Malas, 1992) [Syria]

L'armoire volante [The Cupboard was Bare] (Carlo Rim, 1948) [France]

Cœur de Lilas (Anatole Litvak, 1932) [France]

Umarete Wa Mita Keredo… [I Was Born, But…] (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932) [Japan]

Vražda ing. čerta [The Murder of Mr Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970) [Czechoslovakia]

4 votes

Celluloid Underground (Ehsan Khoshbakht, 2023)

Henry Fonda for President (Alexander Horwath, 2024)

Kohlhiesels Töchter (Ernst Lubitsch, 1920)

Nishijin no shimai [Sisters of Nishijin] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1952)

La Nouba des Femmes du Mont Chen (Assia Djebar, 1978)

Onna No Saka [A Woman's Uphill Slope] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1960)

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

Tasio (Montxo Armendáriz, 1984)

La Visita (Antonio Pietrangeli, 1963)

Yoru no sugao [The Naked Face of Night] (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1958)

3 votes

The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett, 1999)

Conte cruel (Gaston Modot, 1930)

Date with Duke (George Pal, 1947)

Deliverance (John Borman, 1972)

A Foreign Affair (Billy Wilder, 1948)

Merlusse (Marcel Pagnol, 1935)

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Sam Peckinpah, 1973)

The Roaring Twenties (Raoul Walsh, 1939)

Shanghai Express (Josef von Sternberg, 1932)

Tovarich (Anatole Litvak, 1937)

2 votes

Pervyy paren (Sergei Parajanov, 1959)

The Deep Blue Sea (Anatole Litvak, 1955)

Decision Before Dawn (Anatole Litvak)

The Working Girls (Stephanie Rothman, 1974)

The Boatswain’s Mate (H. Manning Haynes, 1924)

Emil! Babylied (1904)

Tokyo Drifter (Seijun Suzuki, 1966)

Man, Woman and Sin (Monta Bell, 1927)

Il Ferroviere (Pietro Germi, 1956)

Ingmarsarvet [The Ingmar Inheritance] (Gustaf Molander, 1925)

Amadeus (Milos Forman, 1984)

Malpertuis (Harry Kümel, 1971)

Die seltsame Geschichte des Brandner Kaspar (Josef von Baky, 1949)

Itsuwareru Seiso [Clothes of Deception] (Kōzaburō Yoshimura)

Borec i kloun [The Wrestler and The Clown] (Boris Barnet, 1957)

Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (Marco Bellocchio, 1972)

Andriesh (Yakov Bazelyan & Sergei Parajanov, 1954)

Szegénylegények [The Round-Up] (Miklós Jancsó)

Aïn-el-Ghezal. La Fille de Carthage (Albert Samama Chikli, 1923-24)

Pink Narcissus (James Bidgood, 1971)

1 vote

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (Anatole Litvak, 1938)

Sorry Wrong Number (Anatole Litvak, 1948)

Die Sonnhofbäuerin (Karl Kurzmayer & Wilfried Fraß, 1948)

Sois belle et tais-toi! (Delphine Seyrig, 1981)

Dumka (Sergei Parajanov, 1960)

Ukrainskaja rapsodija (Sergei Parajanov)

Die Rebellion (Michael Haneke)

Peeping Tom (Michael Powell)

Giuseppina (James Hill)

Au secours! (Abel Gance) 

En Kvinnas Ansikte (Gutaf Molander) 

Fästmö Uthyres (Gutaf Molander)

Devil's Doorway (Anthony Mann) 

The Snake Pit (Anatole Litvak)

Cambrioleurs modernes (unknown, 1904)

The Lavender Hill Mob (Charles Crichton)

Destry Rides Again (George Marshall)

Chijo (Kôzaburô Yoshimura, 1957) 

En natt (Gustaf Molander)

Geheimnisvolle Tiefe (G.W. Pabst)

Die Frau Am Weg (Eduard von Borsody)

Lucretia Lombard (Jack Conway)

A Wife's Revenge (Cricks and Sharp, 1904)

Bílý Ráj (Karel Lamač)

Body Double (Brian De Palma, 1984)

Children in the Surf, Coney Island (1904)

Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen, 1952)

Mykkätrilogia (Silent Trilogy) (Juho Kuosmanen) (2012-2023)

Der blaue Engel (Josef von Sternberg, 1930)

Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, 1984)

Act of Violence (Fred Zinneman, 1948)

Die Frau nach der Man sich sehnt (Kurt Bernhardt)

Ich bin ein Elefant, Madame (Peter Zadek)

Group Marriage (Stephanie Rothman)

Osaka Monogatari (Kozaburo Yoshimura, 1957)

Chrono de poche (Fondo Stucky)

Rome moderne et antique (Camille Legrand)

Fluide et Mobilité d’un Larsen (Thierry Vincens, 1962)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman, 1971)

Les Lèvres rouges (Harry Kümel, 1971)

Blues in the Night (Anatole Litvak, 1941)

Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)

L'immorale (Pietro Germi, 1967)

Homo Faber (Volker Schlöndorff, 1991)

The Bus (Haskell Wexler, 1965)

Au Secours! (Abel Gance, 1924)

Gösta Berlings saga (Mauritz Stiller, 1924) 

Tropici (Gianni Amico, 1968)

Divorzio all'italiana (Pietro Germi, 1961)

Freaks (Tod Browning, 1932)

J’ai tué (Roger Lion, 1924)

In Nome Della Legge (Pietro Germi, 1949)

Il cammino della speranza (Pietro Germi, 1950)

Landfill 16 (Jennifer Reeves, 2011)

Les Chiens policiers (Lucien Nonguet, 1907)

Détresse et charité (Georges Méliès, 1904)

Nuit noire, Calcutta (Marin Karmitz, 1964)

Quatre Nuits d'un rêveur (Robert Bresson, 1971)

Man Trouble (Berthold Viertel, 1930)

Cinégraphies - Les Femmes de la Têmpete (Part I) (Céline Ruivo, 2023)

Printer Light Play (Arthur & Corinne Cantrill, 1978)

Carrie (Brian De Palma, 1976)

"Carnival Trilogy" (Sarah Maldoror, 1979-1980)

"Women in Jazz : Theo Zwicky Collection" (Various, 1935-1952)