A trumpeter and composer by training, London-based Ben Palmer is recognized as one of the world’s foremost conductors for “live-to-picture” performances, with a repertoire that spans the entire history of cinema. Personally authorized by John Williams, Steven Spielberg’s longtime composer, to … [Read more...] about Meet Ben Palmer
From Godzilla to Gish: Hisashi Okajima Embraces His Film Destiny
When film enthusiasts discuss their first encounter with Japanese cinema, they often name the big (really big) stars—Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, and other menacing creatures that were staples in movie theaters in the 1950s and ’60s. It is certainly true for this year’s recipient of the SFSFF Award for … [Read more...] about From Godzilla to Gish: Hisashi Okajima Embraces His Film Destiny
Piano Man: Utsav Lal Lends His Virtuosity to Live Cinema
This interview was published in conjunction with the screenings of The Opportunist and I Was Born, But... at SFSFF 2024 Utsav Lal has crossed many borders, some of which you can hear in his voice. Speaking the Indian-accented English of his native Delhi, flecked with Americanisms from his adopted … [Read more...] about Piano Man: Utsav Lal Lends His Virtuosity to Live Cinema
Crossover Artist: Maud Nelissen Plays It All
Published in conjunction with the screening of The Merry Widow at SFSFF 2023 When Dutch composer and pianist Maud Nelissen was commissioned to write accompaniment for Erich von Stroheim’s The Merry Widow, the first thing she did was look for the original score. But the music by William Axt and … [Read more...] about Crossover Artist: Maud Nelissen Plays It All
Stefan Drössler Works His Magic
Stefan Drössler received the 2023 SFSFF Award for commitment to the preservation and presentation of silent cinema at the screening of A Daughter of Destiny at SFSFF 2023 World cinema owes an incalculable debt to Germany. Some of the greatest and most iconic treasures ever committed to film come … [Read more...] about Stefan Drössler Works His Magic
Stephen Horne: The Re-Animator
Look at any review of Stephen Horne’s performances and you frequently find the words “exhilarating” and “sublime,” typically in the same sentence. This speaks to Horne’s facility and sensitivity, how his accompaniments create true cinematic experiences. But if you’re a devoted fan of the Silent Film … [Read more...] about Stephen Horne: The Re-Animator
The State of Preservation
Mike Mashon of the Library of Congress Silent films, TV shows, screwball comedies, instructional films—they’re all welcome at the Library of Congress, the de facto national library of the United States. Mike Mashon, head of the library’s Moving Image Section, is the person who oversees the … [Read more...] about The State of Preservation
The State of Preservation
Robert Byrne on Restoring Silent Films in the Digital Age Robert Byrne, longtime president of the board of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, remembers when he first got his hands on the original camera negatives of Italian Straw Hat and Les Deux Timides, two René Clair films he recently … [Read more...] about The State of Preservation