Silent film concert Häxan

Häxan is a Swedish/Danish silent film that tells the history of witchcraft, inspiered by the script Malleus Maleficarum, a 15th century guide to the inquisition. Medieavel sourcery and superstisious visions are recreated in dramatic special effects scenes that todays viewers might associated with horror and explotation films. More dedicated to entertainment than thruth, it offers plenty of shock, gore and nudity. Still, on a more serious note, director Benjamin Christensen use the work to argue that what was condemd as witchcraft often was cases of mental illness. Despite having trubble through sensorship, the film was a huge success, and have continued to screen, in different edits, with different music, up until today. The unic film has been an important inspiration of the horror genre.

 Gisle Martens Meyer was commissioned by USF Cinemateket Bergen to write music to three silent films with a feminist related theme. As part of that series Häxan premiered in November 2015, and he will tour with the film in may/june 2016. Meyer did perform as Ugress in the earlie 2000s, and got several radio hits under that name. Now he is based in Berlin and work as electronic composer/musican, often in a theater, film or art project setting. With him in Volda he will have guitarist Thomas T. Dahl, known from jazzrock bands Krøyt and BMX, and countless recording sessions with contemporary popular music.

Before the main sceening, the 1th year animations students will premiere the work from their experimental animation course; short vignettes inspiered by Häxan. There will be an short introduction to the film and Meyer will explain the some what conseptual methodes he has used while composing for the film. The consert is free of charge.

Welcome!    

Text: Trygve Nielsen and Stein-Christian Fagerbakken