100th anniversary screening of silent Jewish film “The Ancient Law” will include live original music
The film can be experienced on Monday, November 13th at 7:30 p.m inside the Darla Moore School of Business.
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The 100th anniversary screening of a silent Jewish film called “The Ancient Law” is taking place on Monday, November 13th at 7:30 p.m.
The screening can be seen in the Hootie Johnson Performance Hall (Room 101) inside of the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business.
The silent film follows the son of a rabbi who leaves home to become an actor. Along the way, the character finds it hard to break away from the traditional life he was used to and faces the problem of rising anti-Semitism and interfaith marriages.
“It’s a bridge back to a lost world, and today when we’re hearing about so much violence and anti-Semitism, it’s so important to focus on culture and the cultures that remain. This is an artist who revives musical traditions and keeps them going and at times like this I think we all need that,” says Executive Director of USC’s Anne Frank Center Doyle Stevick.
“The 1920’s were such a period of dynamic change, that film decided to reflect on that as well. Not only thinking about the present but the past as well, so they were looking at changes that the Jewish community faced not only in the present but by thinking about experiences dating back to the 1860’s,” Stevick says.
Mario Haynes with the Anne Frank Center says the audience will experience live music played during the silent film by world renowned violinist Alicia Svigals and pianist Donald Sosin.
“They’ve composed this music for it. And they also find ways to improvise, and I think that it’s just exciting if you’re interested in art, and interested in storytelling, and in just the spontaneity of life,” says Haynes.
Like the hopeful actor in the film, Haynes says Frank also loved cinema and may have been an actor herself –had her life not been cut short.
“Her knowing that, you know, we’re speaking about her. And doing all this work, and showing these films, and looking at the framing of her story in these ways, I think she would be wowed, and I think she would be astonished, and I think there would be a lot of joy in her heart about it,” says Haynes.
Event details:
A link to details can be found here.
Doors open at 6:45 p.m.
Monday night’s screening is free to audiences but donations are accepted.
Parking for the event is available just behind the Koger Center at 821 Park Street.
The event is also sponsored by the Department of Anthropology and the Jewish Studies Program.
