2025 FESTIVALApril 2-12, 2025Lansing, MI

The Capital City Film Festival celebrates artists from around the world by curating outstanding multimedia experiences for the community.

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Symphonic Cinema ft. Heartland Klezmorim and They’re Dead [FREE]

This special program features two dynamic pairings for a unique cinematic experience: Heartland Klezmorim performing live score to Alice Guy-Blaché short films AND They’re Dead performing live score to NOSFERATU.

Symphonic Cinema at the 2018 Capital City Film Festival is supported in part by the First Impressions Program funded by City of Lansing, LEDC, and Arts Council of Greater Lansing.

DATE
Saturday, April 14, 2018
TIME
2:30 PM
VENUE
Lansing Public Media Center
TICKETS
FREE

Symphonic Cinema ft. Heartland Klezmorim and They’re Dead [FREE]

Alice Guy-Blaché Shorts w/ Live Music

From 1896 to 1906 Alice Guy was [probably] the only woman film director in the world. She had begun as a secretary for Léon Gaumont and made her first film in 1896. She went on to direct and produce/supervise almost 600 silent films ranging in length from one to thirty minutes, the majority of which were of the single-reel length. In addition, she also directed and produced/supervised 150 synchronized sound films for the Gaumont Chronophone. Her Gaumont silent films are notable for their energy and risk-taking; her preference for real locations gives the extant examples of these Gaumont films a contemporary feel. As Alan Williams has described her influence, Alice Guy “created and nurtured the mood of excitement and sheer aesthetic pleasure that one senses in so many pre-war Gaumont films, including the ones made after her departure from the Paris studio.” Selections at this event include: The Drunken Mattress (1906), The Glue (1907), A Four Year Old Hero (1907), and The Piano (1912)

DIRECTOR
YEAR
RUNTIME
Minutes

Pre-Feature Short: A Michigan Frontrunner

Nosferatu

In this highly influential silent horror film, the mysterious Count Orlok (Max Schreck) summons Thomas Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim) to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains. The eerie Orlok seeks to buy a house near Hutter and his wife, Ellen (Greta Schroeder). After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle, knowing that Ellen is in grave danger. Meanwhile Orlok’s servant, Knock (Alexander Granach), prepares for his master to arrive at his new home.

DIRECTOR
F. W. Murnau
YEAR
1922
RUNTIME
Minutes
LANGUAGE
Silent
COUNTRY
Germany

Heartland Klezmorim

Heartland Klezmorim, Michigan’s only traditional klezmer band, began their musical journey in 2006 performing old-time klezmer music. Since that time, their repertoire has expanded to performing jazz interpretations of klezmer music, music from the Yiddish Theater and performing as a pit band for a vaudeville show. Heartland Klezmorim observes the traditions in klezmer music as well as adding a few new sounds. At this year’s Capital City Film Festival, the band will accompany Charlie Chaplin’s How to Make Movies as well as films by Man Ray and Art Clokey’s Gumbasia.

They’re Dead

They’re Dead were born in a movie theater, playing intro music for a Halloween midnight showing of “Night of the Living Dead.” The band name came from a scene in that movie. “People ask if we’re a Grateful Dead tribute band. We’re more of a George Romero tribute band.” The goal is always to produce a horror movie soundtrack. Sometimes the movie is projected on the wall. Sometimes it is projected on the mind. They have played in art galleries, a book store, and countless basements. While guest musicians may grace the stage, the core of the band has always been Slow and Wolf. “Two Theremins, two guitars, zero rehearsals.”