The Blizzard

(Gunnar Hedes saga, Mauritz Stiller, Sweden 1923, 70 min., 35mm, w/ English intertitles)

Silent Tuesdays. From the phantasmagorical mind of director Mauritz Stiller and the intimate prose of Selma Lagerlöf comes this masterpiece of early Scandinavian cinema. The Blizzard represents just one in a series of collaborative works between Stiller and Lagerlöf. Lagerlöf was known for her prowess as a writer, having become the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909. Stiller, known for his ability to make anything beautiful, was the perfect person to transcribe her dreamy, folklore-infused storytelling onto the screen. Through his soft close ups and attention to nature, Stiller brings forth the idealistic mind of Lagerlöf and the spirit of Sweden on this dazzling print. Live piano by Philip C. Carli. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.