The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) today announced the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra live cinema event to be held in Auckland as part of the 2014 programme.
Prix de beauté (a.ka. Miss Europe) is a 1930 jazz-age classic starring Louise Brooks.
The film will be accompanied live by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra with Marc Taddei conducting Timothy Brock’s original score. The film is a recent digital restoration from an Italian print by the Cinetecas of Bologna and Milan and the Cinémathèque Française.
“Like many films of the late 20s, Prix de beauté was made first in both sound and silent versions. To the best of our knowledge this will be the New Zealand premiere of the original silent version,” says NZIFF director Bill Gosden.
“Famously contemptuous of what Hollywood had to offer her, Brooks is best remembered for three films she made when she headed for Europe: Pandora’s Box, Diary of a Lost Girl, and this French film, long unavailable in its original silent-era version. Like the two better known German films, Prix de beauté puts her at the centre of a perversely seductive depiction of social decadence. Venturing an early critique of celebrity culture, the rags to riches tale of a vivacious young office worker who enters a beauty competition packs a surprising punch,” says Gosden.
The live cinema screening of Prix de beauté will be held on the final night of NZIFF in Auckland, Sunday 3 August 6.00pm at The Civic. Tickets for this event will be on sale via Ticketmaster from 27 June.
The NZIFF programme for Auckland will be announced on Monday 23 June and for Wellington on Thursday 26 June. Tickets will be on sale in Auckland from Friday 27 June via Ticketmaster, and in Wellington from Tuesday 1 July via the NZIFF website. For NZIFF updates visit www.nziff.co.nz and register to receive e-newsletters.
