On the occasion of the centenary of the film of Edward S.Curtis “In The Land of THE HEAD HUNTERS”.
The Rencontres d’Arles will propose a cine concert with a restaured version of the film. Considered one of the great ethnographic photographer Edward S.Curtis starts at the beginning of the twentieth century a monumental project, the creation of a forty volumes encyclopedia “The North American Indian” financed by JP Morgan.
To mark the centennial of the Edward S. Curtis film In the Land of the Head Hunters,the Rencontres d’Arles Photo Festival is screening a restored version of the film with live accompaniment.
Considered one of the great anthropologist photographers, Edward S. Curtis undertook a monumental project in the early 20th century, a 40volume photographic encyclopedia, The North American Indian, financed by JP Morgan, one of the richest men of his time. Over the course of 35 years, Curtis took over 80,000 photographs of more than 80 tribes. But ten years after the adventure began, Curtis was deeply in debt despite Morgan’s support. He decided to get back on track, or perhaps attract the interest of new investors, by producing a film about the Kwakiutl tribe, whose artistic traditions he admired, from their carved totems and canoes to their painted houses, costumes and religious ceremonies.
Shooting a featurelength film was still a rare undertaking, especially one shot entirely outdoors with a team
of nonprofessionals, all members of the tribe. He aimed to make a popular film that would reach a mass audience . In The Land of the Head Hunters has an archetypal narrative srtucture: a tale of initiation by trial, with danger, impossible love, vengeance and war. But what makes it stand out is the unprecedented combination of fictional and nonfictional elements. Curtis asked the tribe members to interpret their own history, resulting in the first modern film. This authenticity was central to the promotional campaign for the film, as was a soundtrack composed by John J. Braham. For the restored version of In the Land of the Head Hunters,the guitar player Rodolphe Burger was ommissioned to create a contemporary score, which he will perform live on Thursday, July 9th in Arles.
EVENT
As part of the Festival Rencontres d’Arles
Cine-Concert
“In The Land Of Head Hunters ” avec Rodolphe Burger
Saturday 11th July, 2015
Théâtre Antique
Arles
13 euros
Booking : http://www.billetterie-rencontres-arles.com
