No Longer Silent: Experimental Films of the 1950s

Experience experimental cinema of the 1950s brought to life through live music and community dialogue. Presented as part of the Museum’s 75th anniversary, this cinematic program is organized in partnership with No Longer Silent, Sleep in Cinema, and Substrate Radio, transforming mid-century films into a live, collaborative experience.

The evening will feature a selection of influential works, including Form Phases IV (1954) by Robert Breer, Rabbit’s Moon (1950) by Kenneth Anger, Dom (House) (1959) by Walerian Borowczyk and Jan Lenica, The Wonder Ring (1955) by Stan Brakhage, Jackson Pollock (1951) by Hans Namuth, and Ensemble for Somnambulists (1951) by Maya Deren. Together, these films reflect a period of bold experimentation across film and visual art.

Each film will be paired with a newly composed score performed live, offering a fresh interpretation of these works in the present moment.

Following the screenings will be a panel discussion led by Film Scholar and Co-Host of Substrate Radio’s Sleep in Cinema Gareth Jones in conversation with Wilm, Pascal, and Doug Baulos, Associate Professor of Drawing and Book Making at the University of Alabama Birmingham.

No Longer Silent is a Birmingham-based film screening series that pairs historic silent films with original live accompaniment from local musicians to create a one-of-a-kind experience. The series returns to the Museum for its second iteration and has previously been presented at venues across Birmingham, including Seasick Records, O’Neal Library, AEIVA, Saturn, and Sidewalk Cinema. Each program concludes with a panel discussion led by local organizations, offering audiences the opportunity to engage in conversation and reflection inspired by the works on screen.

Image caption: Still from Dom (House), directed by Walerian Borowczyk and Jan Lenica, 1959