BACKFestival
May 20, 2023
Sound of Silent Film Festival – NYC
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival comes to Symphony Space in Manhattan for one night only.
This is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.
Hours
Saturday, May 20, 8:00 PM
Location
Symphony Space
Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater
2537 Broadway (at 95th)
$30 general, $15 student with ID
Program
Total runtime: approximately 90 minutes.
Devil’s Food Cake by JohnBen Lacy and Mike Elsherif
A simpleton makes a deal with the devil in an attempt to win over a judge’s heart at a cake contest.
Music by Seth Boustead
Get the F**K Out of Paris by Greg Emetaz
A text message turns a depressing laundry night into a mad dash for survival.
Music by Rob Steel
What If by Winnie Cheung
In a post-gender world, men wouldn’t be punished for being vulnerable and women wouldn’t have to stay submissive in order to succeed.
Unfortunately, we’ve all been subjected to the same gender narrative dating back to Adam and Eve. But what if there was another creation myth? One where gender was erased altogether?
Music by Lynn Bechtold
Loopy by Max Cianci and Anthony Peduzzi
Drawn to a mysterious window, a man decides to investigate a seemingly abandoned building. As he makes his way to the source of his curiosity, what he uncovers is worse than he could ever imagine.
Music by Cristina Spinei
Early Retirement by David Mair
A grizzled cop seeks vengeance for his fallen partner.
Music by Gene Pritsker
The Stain by Brian Petchers
A neighborhood hate crime leads to a mother’s painful discovery about her teenage son..
Music by Gilbert Galindo
The Rabbit and the Snare by Gemma Eve and Callum Hotchkiss
During the turn of the 20th century, a man contemplates life when he falls into isolation after the death of his young daughter. He is forced to survive a snowy Canadian winter while accompanied by an unusual companion.
Music by Charles Coleman
Lightmare by Josh Drake
Lightmare was inspired by a group of youths who used to race motorcycles by my house. The film attempts to capture the anxiety of the neighborhood, using negative space as a mask to subvert the audience’s expectations of horizon and depth. In contrast, much of the content underscores the triviality of the perceived threat.
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Music by Peri Mauer
The Ephemeral Orphanage by Lisa Barcy
A group of tattered paper dolls daydream alternate realities and surreptitiously explore the hidden lives of their strict and secretive caregivers.
Hijinks ensue and discoveries are made as the characters live out their childhood fantasies. Created with found paper dolls cut from a 1920’s newspaper and found in an attic, the film explores the adults’ attempt to dictate what girls learn, and the children’s talent for discovering forbidden knowledge.
Music by Natasha Bogojevich
sponsors
Meet Our sponsors
The Sound of Silent Film Festival in New York City is sponsored in part by:
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2024 Chicago
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its 19th year, is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2024 NYC
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its 19th year, is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live. The festival hits NYC on May 31st!
April 26, 2023
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2023
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its 18th year, is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.
April 16 & 23, 2022
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2022
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its 17th year, is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live.
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2021
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is a unique event featuring new short silent films in every conceivable genre screened with newly-composed musical scores performed live. Our 16th annual festival features two exciting all-new programs presented outdoors at the VIN312 parking lot and, the following weekend, virtually.
We source the films through a global call, commission the composers and our wonderful musicians bring it all to life.
April 30 and May 1, 2021 7:00 PM
VIN312 Parking Lot
$20
PERFORMED BY
Chris Ramaekers – Music Director
David Wetzel – Technical Director
Alyson Berger – cello
Christie Miller – clarinet
Marianne Parker – piano
Brent Roman – percussion
Trevor Patricia Watkin – flute
Amy Wurtz – piano
Henry Zheng – violin
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2020
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival turns 15 this year! We’re celebrating the anniversary with two ambitious virtual programs featuring fourteen short modern silent films with newly commissioned musical scores performed live.
This year’s selections include three dramatic thrillers, two comedies, one dark comedy, one very dark comedy, an offbeat romance, two compelling dramas, one that kind of pulls at your heart strings, a compelling look at modern Hong Kong, two gorgeously animated films and a dance film.
There are two completely different programs and they will be live streamed
This is a free presentation but we’re asking for a $20 suggested donation per household. If you like what you see and hear please consider donating.
PERFORMED BY
Chris Ramaekers – Music Director
David Wetzel – Technical Director
Alyson Berger – cello
Christie Miller – clarinet
Marianne Parker – piano
Brent Roman – percussion
Trevor Patricia Watkin – flute
Amy Wurtz – piano
Henry Zheng – violin
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2019
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its fourteenth year, returns to the lovingly restored Davis Theater with two all-new programs.
Featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films from around the world, this one night only event is a don’t miss.
The 7:00 main show features films that have been meticulously scored and rehearsed with the music conducted live to the films.
The 9:30 “late night” show is a more experimental format with improvisation and composers performing their own music.
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2018
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival moves to the lovingly restored Davis Theater with an all-new program and, for the first time, a special late night “viewer discretion advised” program.
Featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films from around the world, this one night only event is a don’t-miss!
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2017
Our twelfth annual Sound of Silent Film Festival returns to the gorgeous Music Box Theater with an all-new program!
Featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films from around the world, this one night only event is a don’t miss.
“Of all the art forms, music takes the shortest route to the heart, and this is especially true of live music,” says acclaimed Canadian filmmaker, and SOSF 2011 alumnus Guy Maddin. “Something truly alchemical happens when film gets a live score.”
DETAILS
Saturday, April 22 2017 7:30 PM
Music Box Theater
3733 N. Southport Ave.
$20 door, $15 online, $8 students and seniors (with ID)
Student/senior tickets (must show ID at the door)
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2016
ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival celebrates its eleventh year with a move to the gorgeous Music Box Theater for an all-new program!
Featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films from around the world, this one night only event is a don’t miss.
“Of all the art forms, music takes the shortest route to the heart, and this is especially true of live music,” says acclaimed Canadian filmmaker, and SOSF 2011 alumnus Guy Maddin. “Something truly alchemical happens when film gets a live score.”
DETAILS
Saturday, April 16 2016 7:30 PM
Music Box Theater
3733 N. Southport Ave.
$20
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2015
We’re going to the big time! ACM’s popular Sound of Silent Film Festival is moving to Chicago’s premiere art house cinema venue, the Music Box. Sound of Silent Film features newly composed scores we commission performed live to modern silent films.
We source the films through an international call, strip whatever sounds might be on them (with the director’s approval of course) and then commission composers to write a new score which our wonderful musicians then perform live while you enjoy popcorn and a beer, or the beverage of your choice.
One night only!
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2014
The Sound of Silent Film Festival is the only festival in the country featuring newly composed scores performed live to modern silent films.
That’s right, silent films by living directors! We commission new music for them and perform it live to the films.
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2013
This year’s Sound of Silent Film Festival is a very special event featuring one feature length film scored by four composers. The film is Hiroshi Teshigahara’s masterpiece Gaudí about the legendary Barcelona architect. Don’t miss this special performance!
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2012
This year’s Sound of Silent Film Festival features a new score to the classic Chris Marker film La Jetée by Seth Boustead! We’ll also screen The Waiting Room by Jos Stelling with a new score by John Elmquist.
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2011
This year’s Sound of Silent Film Festival features new scores performed live to Martin Scorsese’s classic silent film The Big Shave and Osama Tezuka’s animated film The Mermaid.
Films by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Brian Kallies, Chris Mancini, Manoel de Oliveira and Gus van Sant round out the program.
All films will be screened in silence with a new score performed live.
Sound of Silent Film Festival 2010
The Sound of Silent Film Festival, now in its fifth year, features new scores performed live to modern silent films from around the world. We commission new scores and play them live to the films in a theater with a bar.