The National Gallery of Art's summer preservation festival is saluting the French National Film Archives with a series of Ciné-Concerts!

This rare film program at the NGA will include a unique silent French farce and boulevard comedy, a mystery film, and early "wonders of science" shorts -- tinted and toned as they were when they were originally released!

Since 1969, the French National Film Archive / CNC (Archives Françaises du Film/Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée) have been collecting and conserving the incomparable cinématic heritage of France. It is estimated that 80 percent of these films produced during the early 1900's have disappeared. Each year, approximately 2,000 new titles are added to the film archive collection facilities in Bois d'Arcy and Saint-Cyr.

WHAT: From Vault to Screen: New Preservations from France

Curator Eric Le Roy and film conservator Caroline Patte

WHEN: Saturday, August 6 at 2:00 PM

WHERE: National Gallery of Art - 4th and Constitution Ave., NW - East Building Concourse, Auditorium

ADMISSION: Free

MORE INFO

Presented with the generous support of TV5MONDE

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 AT 2:00 PM

Ciné-Concert: L'Arpète preceded by Le Chapeau de Madame

East Building Concourse, Auditorium

Andrew Simpson, piano

To save her boss (the couturier Pommier of La Maison Pommier), Jacqueline dupes a rich patron (the visiting American art lover Rochedufer) into placing a huge order. Rochedufer trumps her by asking for a rendezvous, which leads to surprising revelations. A stylish comedy with hand-painted deco sets, L'Arpète (The Dressmaker's Apprentice) anticipates the work of Sacha Guitry and others. (Donatien for Franco-Film, 1929, 35 mm, 97 minutes)

In Le Chapeau de Madame, Madame's oversized hat, already too big to fit through a door, causes an altercation between blocked theater patrons and her husband that escalates and ends up in court. (Gaumont Film, director unknown, 1907, 35 mm, 7 minutes)