New score composed and performed live by Matthew Nolan and Erik Friedlander
The Blood of a Poet (Le Sang d'un Poète), the first part of Jean Cocteau’s Orphic Trilogy, is considered one of the finest surrealist films ever made. Cocteau wrote that his film marks “a descent into oneself . . . a kind of half-sleep through which I wandered as though in a labyrinth.”
It was originally commissioned by arts patron Charles de Noailles, with appearances by photographer Lee Miller and performer Barbette. This special presentation features a new score co-written and performed by Matthew Nolan and Erik Friedlander. (Jean Cocteau, 1930–32, 35mm, silent with live accompaniment, 55 minutes)
About Matthew Nolan and Erik Friedlander
Matthew Nolan is a Dublin based musician, music curator, and academic. He was the founder and artistic director of 3epkano from 2004 to 2015, an instrumental music ensemble that specialized in the production of original music for movies from the silent era. Nolan teaches Film Studies at Dublin Business School and Trinity College Dublin
Cellist Erik Friedlander is a prolific solo artist, bandleader and film composer. Having been a sought-after studio musician and improviser in New York’s downtown music scene for many years, Friedlander has recently become well known for his work scoring film and television.