From its very beginnings, the Pordenone Silent Film Festival has gathered together world-class musicians specialized in silent film accompaniment; their performances, frequently improvised, continue to bring films from a century ago back to life. It is therefore fitting that the Board of Directors of the Pordenone Silent Film Festival has chosen to establish an award for musical accompaniment. Starting this 37th edition, the David Gill Pordenone Silent Film Music Award will be given by an international jury of experts to the ensemble whose improvised accompaniment is judged to be the best of the festival. This jury, composed of music experts and film critics, will be entrusted with choosing the best unscored accompaniment on the basis both of its musicality as well as its evocative power when wedded to the images flowing from the screen.

The prize will be awarded on the closing evening, Saturday 13th October.

2018 JURY

David Robinson (UK) (jury chairman)
director emeritus of the Pordenone Silent Film Festival

Geoff Brown (UK)
music critic (The Times, London)

Pamela Hutchinson (UK)
journalist (The Guardian, London)

Russell Merritt (US)
film historian, professor (University of California, Berkley)

Vladimir Opela (CZ)
film historian, curator emeritus (National Film Archive, Prague)

Adelina Preziosi (IT)
Journalist (Segnocinema)

Maria Luisa Sogaro (IT)
music teacher and manager of the festival section “Striking a new note”

DAVID GILL PORDENONE SILENT FILM MUSIC AWARD

2018: Stephen Horne (pianoforte) and Luigi Vitale (drums) for L’ATLANTIDE (FR 1921, 176′) by Jacques Feyder