(Jean Cocteau, France, 1946, 96 min.

Once upon a time, in a world of magic and wonder, the true love of a beautiful girl may finally dispel the torment of a feral but gentle-hearted beast. Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête) is a landmark feat of cinematic fantasy in which master filmmaker Jean Cocteau conjures spectacular visions of enchantment, desire, and death that have never been equaled. The Criterion Collection proudly presents the original film version of Mme Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy-tale masterpiece, in a restored, spectacular special edition.

An original score
to Jean Cocteau’s 1946 cinematic masterpiece performed by :

Stefan Smulovitz - Viola, laptop
Viviane Houle - Voice
Coat Cooke - Flute, Sax
Ron Samworth - Guitar

Stefan Smulovitz leads the brilliant Eye of Newt ensemble with an original score to Jean Cocteau’s 1946 cinematic masterpiece. The breadth of Cocteau’s artistic achievements - in literature, visual arts and performance - eclipses that of his surrealist contemporaries, and this, his first feature film, has been described as one of the most gorgeous movies ever made. Its haunting, surreal visuals and sensitive portrayal of the Beast by Jean Marais, one of the greatest French film actors of the 20th century, imbue the familiar fairy tale with an indelible, mythical power - decades before Disney got their hands on it. For this one-night-only event, Eye of Newt draws upon preeminent musicians from Vancouver’s internationally acknowledged improvisational music scene.

Eye of Newt (known for their Silent Summer Nights evenings of film and music) specializes in playing instant compositions to film. Inspired by the power of celluloid, each and every one of the ensemble’s unique shows brings spontaneous audio life to the great films of cinema.

Also,

in the VIFF Lobby : Paul Plimley & Clyde Reed