The Ancient Law: German-Jewish Silent Film with Violinist Alicia Svigals

Ithaca Premiere! With original score performed live by Alicia Svigals & Donald Sosin! 2 hrs 8 min. 1923, Germany. Directed by E.A. Dupont. With Henny Porten, Ruth Weyher. A recently restored German silent about Jewish life in 19th Century Europe, the film is a precursor to Warner Bros' The Jazz Singer. The film tells the story of an orthodox rabbi's son who yearns to become an actor, against the wishes of his father. An important piece of German-Jewish cinematic history that contrasts the closed world of an Eastern European shtetl with the liberal mores of 1860s Vienna. With its historically authentic set design and an ensemble of prominent actors, the film is an outstanding example of the creativity of Jewish filmmakers in 1920s Germany. It will be shown with live musical accompaniment by pianist Donald Sosin and acclaimed Klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals, playing their newly-commissioned score for the film. Cosponsored with the Sunshine Foundation for Education and the Arts, the Jewish Studies Program, the Dept of German Studies, the Dept of Music, the Institute for German Cultural Studies and Cornell Hillel. Subtitled. More at flickeralley.com/classic-movies/#!/The-Ancient-Law-Das-alte-Gesetz/p/102498188/category=20414531