Silent Film Days April 2–5, 2026

Istanbul Modern Cinema presents Silent Film Days, co-curated with Eye Filmmuseum and Elif Rongen Kaynakçı. Bringing together 13 films dating from 1910 onward, the program explores diverse aesthetic and thematic tendencies of early cinema. Spanning from images of labor and production to avant-garde works abstracting nature, and from early 20th century fashion to films noted for their underwater scenes, the selection offers a wide-ranging perspective.

Highlights include Robert Wiene’s Raskolnikov (1923), which combines the visual language of German Expressionism with a naturalistic acting style; Mário Peixoto’s Limite (1931), made at the age of 22 and considered one of the most striking avant-garde works in film history; In Spring (Vesnoi, 1929), described as “a Kiev symphony” and directed by Dziga Vertov’s brother Mikhail Kaufman; and Muhsin Ertuğrul’s Tamilla (1924), rediscovered 92 years after its production.

Seven silent films in the program are accompanied by live music performances and presentations. This year’s theme focuses on the use of stencil color in early cinema. Presented by Elif Rongen Kaynakçı, projects such as Fantastic Flowers, Catwalk Cinema, and Cyrano de Bergerac, which highlight the restoration of these colors, will be showcased. The program also includes the Türkiye premiere of The Postman (Postchi, Dariush Mehrjui, 1972), a recently restored key work of the Iranian New Wave, establishing a bridge between early and modern cinema.