West Side Cinema in Stromness will be hosting a special evening of silent film, live music and readings as part of a national tour by A Kind Of Seeing and Glasgow Film Festival.

Assunta Spina CREDIT Cineteca Di Bologna

Silent Divas: ASSUNTA SPINA is a rare silent Italian drama with a new live score by Scotland’s leading Italian folk band The Badwills. In recognition of International Women’s Day, the screening will be preceded by readings from local women writers from Orkney Voices. After the film, tables will be cleared and The Badwills will continue to play, mixing wild Southern Italian tarantella, tammurriata & pizzica blended with sounds from Scottish folk traditions.Wear red for passion and have your tambourines at the ready!

Badwills

A passionate tale of jealousy, revenge and tragedy filmed on the streets of Naples, ASSUNTA SPINA stars and was co-directed by Francesca Bertini, one of Italian early cinema’s greatest ‘silent divas’. In the 1910s, Bertini was a powerful woman in the film industry yet her films filled with strong female leads are now rarely seen. Recently restored by Cineteca di Bologna with its original tinting, Silent Divas brings Bertini back to the big screen in full glory.

Mark Jenkins, Chair of West Side Cinema said:

‘We’re really looking forward to another unique event at West Side. This will be our third accompanied silent film screening, and our last collaboration with A Kind of Seeing saw our busiest and most popular night ever with people packing the balcony to hear Jason Singh’s extraordinary performance with the film Drifters.

“There’s something very special about accompanied silent film and I’m sure we’re in for another rare treat. We’re excited to give a small window of opportunity to local women writers from Orkney Voices, who will give their own Orcadian slant to mark International Women’s Day. And the dance after the screening will be something new to the cinema, and has us all very excited.

The tour is supported by PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund for Organisations and Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network and funded by BFI and Creative Scotland.

Silent Divas: ASSUNTA SPINA (12A) is at West Side Cinema, Stromness Town Hall, 09 March. Tickets on the door.

Taster trailer from Eden Court Theatre