A Season of Classics Films is a series of free film screenings and parallel activities across Europe designed to attract younger audiences to our shared cinematic cultural heritage. The programme looks to raise awareness of the work of European film archives, connecting the public with cinema history and the significance of film preservation. Most of the films are premiere digital restorations and some screenings include live performances and educational interactive sessions. All films are available with English subtitles. Additionally, French or other subtitles are in some cases available. This is an initiative of the Association des Cinémathèques Européennes (ACE) with the support of the EU Creative Europe MEDIA programme.
The screenings will take place between June and December 2023 in cinemas across Europe and online. Please check this page and follow ACE on social media for the latest news: Facebook / Instagram / Twitter.
The film Slike iz života udarnika (Life of a Shock Force Worker, 1972, Yugoslavia, Bahrudin ‘Bato’ Čengić) that was awarded the 2022 joint film restoration grant will premiere in the 80th Venice International Film Festival.
During a special event at the Cannes Film Festival, ACE revealed the details of the fourth edition of A Season of Classic Films and presented the 2023 Joint Restoration Grant.
Discover the 2023 programme here (PDF)
3 June | Donna: Women in Revolt / Donna: Vrouwen in Verzet | The Netherlands, 1980, 64′
*world premiere restoration*
A remarkable portrayal of 80 years of the women’s movement in Italy. Restored and presented by Eye Filmmuseum in collaboration with the Dutch Institute for Sound and Vision.
16 June | Boom Boom | Spain, 1990, 90′
*4K world premiere restoration*
A romantic comedy set in the pre-Olympic games Barcelona. Restored and presented by Filmoteca de Catalunya.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | ACCESS LINK HERE (10 July – 6 August)
7 July | The Railroad Man / Il Ferroviere | Italy, 1956, 118′
*4K premiere restoration*
A universal story of a worker’s family in one of the last films of the Italian neorealism. Restored and presented by Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna.
26 July | Memento / Мементо | Yugoslavia, 1967, 95′
*4K world premiere restoration*
In a city destroyed by an earthquake, a young woman tries to reconcile with her tragic memories. Restored and presented by the Cinematheque of the Republic of North Macedonia.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | ACCESS LINKS via YouTube and via Facebook
5 August | Waves of Passion / Kire lained | Estonia-Germany, 1930, 82′
*4K world premiere restoration*
Greed, adventures and passionate love across the Baltic Sea. Restored and presented by Film Archive of the National Archives of Estonia.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | ACCESS LINK (it will become available in September)
16 September | Vilarinho das Furnas | Portugal, 1970, 77′
Documentary about the destruction of a Portuguese village to construct a dam. An open-air screening will take place near the location where the film was originally shot, followed by a weekly programme of educational activities and workshops. Restored and presented by Cinemateca Portuguesa-Museu do Cinema.
PROGRAMME DETAILS| WATCH ONLINE (17 September – 4 October, with subtitles in EN/FR/ESP/PT SDH)
4 October | Cursed Village / La aldea maldita | Spain, 1930, 57′
A mythical film in the history of Spanish cinema about family honour. Screening in partnership with the Escuela de Cine and local universities. Restored and presented by Filmoteca Española.
October | Frame for Few Poses / Ram za nekoliko poza | Yugoslavia, 1976, 180′
*4K world premiere restoration*
A documentary presenting artisans and folk musicians from remote parts of the former Yugoslavia, accompanied by a musical commentary by the famous rock band of the Vranešević brothers. Restored and presented by Slovenska kinoteka.
October | I Remember You Leaving All the Time / Μια ζωή σε θυμάμαι να φεύγεις [Mia zoi se thimame na fevgis] | Greece, 1977, 45′
*4K world premiere restoration*
A love story set in the crucial transitional political period of the 1970s Greece directed by Frida Liappa, one of the most important Greek female filmmakers. Restored and presented by Ταινιοθήκη της Ελλάδος / Greek Film Archive.
27 October | The Sultana of Love / La Sultane de l’amour | France, 1917, 88′
The tale of the tormented love of Princess Deoulah and Prince Mourad in a enchanting coloured version of early cinema. Restored and presented by Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC) – Direction du patrimoine cinématographique.
November | The Outcasts | Ireland, 1982, 104′
*4K world premiere restoration*
An Irish folk horror tale about a young woman’s discovery of her own powers and her passage into a mystical world of imagination and beauty. Restored and presented by the Irish Film Institute.
November | Slave Bird / Rabmadár | Hungary – Germany, 1929, 46′
*4K world premiere restoration*
An eventful night of love and betrayal telling the story of a young woman who is taken off to jail by mistake. Restored and presented by the National Film Institute Hungary – Film Archive.
November | The Prisoner at the Karlsten Fortress / Fången på Karlstens fästning | Sweden, 1916, 64′
*international premiere restoration*
A thrilling drama about a sought-after bomb formula and a young maiden imprisoned at the Karlsten Fortress. Restored and presented by the Swedish Film Institute.
November | The Legend of Doom House / Malpertuis | Belgium – France – West-Germany, 1973, 124′
*world premiere restoration*
A magical realism film brings the fallen gods of Olympus together in an old house somewhere in Flanders, featuring Orson Welles. Restored and presented by Cinémathèque royale de Belgique / Koninklijk Belgisch Filmarchief.
November | Educational Shorts on Traffic Safety | Yugoslavia, 1963, 43′
*world premiere restoration*
Three surprising educational shorts by the eccentric director, screenwriter and TV personality Nikša Fulgosi. Restored and presented by the Croatian State Archives – Croatian Cinematheque.
November | After Midnight / Dopo Mezzanotte | Italy, 2003, 90′
The story of a love triangle between cinema, dreams and life, set in the iconic setting of the Mole Antonelliana. A special screening will take place during the 41st Torino Film Festival. Restored and presented by Museo Nazionale del Cinema.
1 December | Lucerna | Czechoslovakia, 1925, 57′
*world premiere restoration*
A love story based on a classical Bohemian theatre play, based on a beautiful tinted and toned reconstruction of the original film. Restored and presented by Národní filmový archiv, Prague.
4 December | The Sea / Морето [Moreto] | Bulgaria, 1967, 58′
*world premiere restoration*
The youthful romance between Zhana and Tony is put to the test after a fatal car accident, featuring some of the most popular actors in Bulgarian cinema. Restored and presented by the Bulgarian National Film Archive.
13 December | The Merry-Go-Round / Der Reigen | Germany, 1920, 90′
*4K world premiere restoration*
After being thrown out of her family house, Elena (Asta Nielsen) starts a life of tormented relationships and sexual encounters. Restored and presented by DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum.
December | Red Poppies on the Walls / Lulëkuqet mbi mure | Albania, 1976, 94′
*4K world premiere restoration*
A group of orphan boys plot to get rid of their fascist orphanage director and cruel housemaster during World War II. Restored and presented by the Albanian National Film Archive.
28 December | The Ambush / Zaseda | Yugoslavia, 1969, 76′
*world premiere restoration*
A classic Yugoslav black wave film, which explores the everlasting conflict between individual ethics and social conformity. Restored and presented by the Yugoslav Cinematheque – Yugoslav Film Archive.
More film screenings to be announced soon. Please check this page and ACE social media.
Discover the 2022 programme here (PDF)
9-10 June | Face to Face / Πρόσωπο με Πρόσωπο [Prosopo me Prosopo] | Greece, 1966, 84′
*4K world premiere restoration*
Manthoulis played a crucial role in the renewal of Greek cinema in both documentary and fiction film. This film presents a bitter satire of the new bourgeoisie in the 1960s. Restored and presented by Ταινιοθήκη της Ελλάδος / Greek Film Archive.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
10-17 June | Blue 9 / Plavi 9 | Yugoslavia, 1950, 93′
A romantic comedy depicting adventures in the world of football with all the challenges and glory this game offers.
Restored and presented by Croatian state archive – Croatian cinematheque.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
25 June | The Conformist / Il Conformista | Italy, 1970, 108′
*4K world premiere restoration*
A film that changed everything: Bertolucci’s directing style, his personal way of recounting the past, of staging history. It had a unique influence on an entire generation of filmmakers. Restored and presented by Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna.
17 July | P.O. Box 1001 / Apartado de Correos 1001 | Spain, 1950, 90′
A genuine example of 1950s Barcelona cinema noir. An echo of the Hollywood thrillers in the context of the Franco regime.
Restored and presented by Filmoteca de Catalunya.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
25 August | Character / Karakter | The Netherlands, 1997, 122′
In the Netherlands of the 1920s, a dreaded bailiff is found dead, with the obvious suspect being an ambitious young lawyer who worked his way up from poverty, always managing to overcome personal attacks against him. Restored and presented by Eye Filmmuseum.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKET
7 September | Vera Klichkova: Film Legacy of a Pioneering Ethnologist | Yugoslavia, 1954-1966, 79′
*world premiere restoration*
Three ethnology documentaries from the cinematic legacy of Vera Klichkova depict Easter customs in Greshnica, Rusalii dances in Miravci, and a traditional wedding in Mariovo. Restored and presented by the Cinematheque of the Republic of North Macedonia.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | WATCH THE RECORDED SCREENING HERE
8 September | Slovenian Experimental Classic Films | Yugoslavia and Slovenia, 1965-2013, 63′
*world premiere restoration*
These films were mostly created in the context of Kino Clubs in Yugoslavia where authors grew and formed their artistic film expression freely, without state interventions. Restored and presented by the Slovenian Cinematheque.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | ACCESS LINK HERE
30 September | Manasse | Romania, 1924-1925, 54′
*world premiere restoration* Lelia Cohanovici, a young Jewish woman, wants to marry a Christian man, but finds opposition from her grandfather and peers. Restored and presented by Arhiva Nationala de Filme, Romania. There will be two simultaneous free cinema screenings with live music in Bucharest (cinema Eforie) and in Cluj-Napoca (cinema Victoria). The screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with Ruxandra Blaga, film restorer and archivist. A worldwide online premiere will follow (10-17 October).
RESERVE YOUR FREE CINEMA TICKET HERE | ACCESS LINK HERE
11 October (Göteborg), 19 October (Stockholm), 1 November (Malmö) | With Reindeer and Sled in Inka Länta’s Winterland / Med Ackja Och Ren i Inka Läntas Vinterland | Sweden, 1926, 59′
*new restoration with live music*
One of the earliest feature-length films about Sámi, the indigenous people of Sweden. The film depicts the culture and everyday life of a Sámi family in a less exotifying manner than many similar films from its era. Restored and presented by the Swedish Film Institute.
PROGRAMME DETAILS FOR GÖTEBORG, STOCKHOLM, MALMÖ | WATCH ONLINE WITH ENGLISH OR FRENCH SUBTITLES
23 October | Change of Life / Mudar de Vida | Portugal, 1966, 94′
Representing the so-called Portuguese “New Cinema” period, Paulo Rocha’s film silently echoes the colonial war, with the story of a man who returns to his country and finds it difficult to reunite with his native village. Restored and presented by Cinemateca Portuguesa-Museu do Cinema. The screening will take place in collaboration with the Avanca cineclub at the Estarreja Cine-Teatro, very close to where the film was shot.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | RESERVE YOUR FREE CINEMA TICKET
25 October | Janko the Musician / Janko Muzykant | Poland, 1930, 104′
*world premiere restoration*
One of the oldest preserved Polish films and an example of early European sound cinema. It tells the story of a boy who dreams of becoming a great violinist. Restored and presented by National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute, Poland.
27 October | Corpses / Cada Ver Es | Spain, 1981, 81′
*world premiere restoration*
Radical and poetic approach to death through the testimonies of Juan M. Espada, assistant at the Anatomical Forensics Institute of Valencia, Spain. Restored and presented by Filmoteca Valenciana – Institut Valencià de Cultura.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKET
20 November | The Cruel Embrace / Les Noces barbares | Belgium, 1987, 99′
*national premiere restoration*
The adaptation of Yann Queffélec’s Prix Goncourt-winning novel about the painful relationship between a mother and her unwanted child. Restored and presented by the Cinematheque royale de Belgique / Koninklijk Belgisch Filmarchief.
RESERVE YOUR FREE CINEMA TICKET HERE
13 December | The Balkan War / Балканската Война [Balkanskata Voyna] | Bulgaria, 1913, 55′
*world premiere restoration with live commentary*
A unique visual document of the Balkan Wars 1912-1913. The film will be contextualised by film historian Petar Kardjilov. The event will be recorded and uploaded on BNFA`s YouTube channel for free online access until 31 December 2022. Restored and presented by the Bulgarian National Film Archive.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | ACCESS LINK
13 December | The Wall / Le Mur | France, 1966, 86′
*world premiere restoration*
Film adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel about Spanish Civil War. Restored and presented by La Cinémathèque de Toulouse.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKET
14 December | Lotte Reiniger’s Early Work | Germany, 1919-1930, 108′
*premiere restoration with live music*
Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) is the ‘Grande Dame’ of animation film and the creator of a multitude of silhouette films. This programme presents eight newly-restored films of her early work. Restored and presented by the DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKET
16 December | The Prague Executioner / Pražský Kat | Czechoslovakia, 1927, 99′
*world premiere restoration with live music*
A tale of a 17th century executioner, his son and the machinations of one robber baron. The film shines as one of the earliest examples of how cinema imagined the past. Restored and presented by Národní filmový archiv, Prague.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | TRAILER | ACCESS LINK
17 December | This Other Eden | Ireland/UK, 1959, 81′
*world premiere restoration*
The first Irish feature film directed by a woman; This Other Eden provides a satirical insight into Irish society of the 1950s. It touches irreverently on illegitimacy, Anglo-Irish relations, the wealth of the Church, and the relevance of the fight for independence to contemporary Ireland. Restored and presented by the Irish Film Institute.
21 December | Orpheus and Eurydice / Orfeusz és Eurydiké | Hungary, 1985, 90′
*world premiere restoration*
István Gaál’s opera film to the music of Gluck evokes the classical Greek myth in a series of breathtaking images. Restored and presented by National Film Institute Hungary – Film Archive. The film will be free-to-view online with worldwide access between 26 December – 1 January.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | RESERVE YOUR CINEMA TICKET | ACCESS LINK| TRAILER
25 December (online), 27 December (Tirana), 28 (Libohova) | Concert in the Year 1936 / Koncert në Vitin 1936 | Albania, 1978, 89′
*world premiere restoration*
A comedy about two young performers, a pianist and a singer, who arrive in a small town where they meet some unexpected resistance from the local authorities. Restored and presented by Arkivi Qendror Shtetëror i Filmit / Albanian National Film Archive.
PROGRAMME DETAILS (Tirana) | PROGRAMME DETAILS (Libohova) | ACCESS LINK | TRAILER BEFORE-AFTER RESTORATION
28 December | Klakson | Yugoslavia, 1965, 99′
*world premiere restoration*
The story of an unsuccessful attempt by a group of young people to escape the absurdity of civilization. Restored and presented by Arhiv Jugoslovenske kinoteke / Jugoslav Film Archive. Cinema screening in Belgrade on 28 December at 18:00. Online worldwide premiere with English subtitles on 28 December at 21:00 (Belgrade time).
PROGRAMME DETAILS | ACCESS LINK | TRAILER
29 December | Stolen Meeting / Varastatud Kohtumine| Estonia, 1988, 97′
*world premiere restoration*
Valentina, an ex-convict, is determined to reunite with her 8-year-old son Jüri. Restored and presented by the Film Archive of the National Archives of Estonia. The film will premiere online on 5 January 2023 and will be available for free for one week.
PROGRAMME DETAILS | RESERVE YOUR FREE CINEMA TICKET | ACCESS LINK
Discover the 2020-2021 programme here (PDF)
Travel through Switzerland / Reise durch die Schweiz | Switzerland, 1920-1961, 102′
These unique short films offer an eclectic view of the past in different regions of Switzerland, from aviation pioneers in the 1920s to progressive women in the 1960s. The archived live streaming features an introduction about the films and piano accompaniment. Restored and presented by Lichtspiel / Kinemathek Bern.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
Summer Daydream: A Selection of Vintage Bulgarian Short Films | Bulgaria, 1926 – 1940, 70′
The films depict life in Bulgaria in the interwar period with a pinch of humour and take the viewers to an imaginary vacation in the Black Sea and the countryside. The archived live streaming features an introduction about the films and musical accompaniment by violinist Boyana Zhelyazkova and pianist Yasen Obretenov. Restored and presented by the Bulgarian National Film Archive.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
Sanz and the secret of his art / Sanz y el secreto de su arte | Spain, Maximiliano Thous and Francisco Sanz, 1918, 65′
An unusual hybrid between documentary and fiction displaying the manufacture and handling of animated human-like dolls, known as automata, and the fictitious adventures of Don Liborio. The archived live streaming features an introduction about the film and piano music by Arcadi Valiente Galbis. The film is restored and presented by Filmoteca Valenciana – Institut Valencià de Cultura.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
Discover Czech silent films from 1891-1929
The selection includes some of the first movies shot in the Czech lands, Karel Lamač’s films and performances by Vlasta Burian and Anna Ondráková. Discussions on topics related to silent film and its presentation are also available. The films are restored and presented by the Czech National Film Archive with contemporary music.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
A Quiet Summer / Мирно лето [Mirno Leto] | Yugoslavia, Dimitrie Osmanli, 1961, 99′
A young couple yearns for their summer peaceful retreat by the lake. Will they manage to escape from the very same faces they are trying to hide away? The archived live streaming features a mini-concert and an introduction about the film. Restored and presented by the Cinematheque of North Macedonia.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
Frosina / Фросина [Frosina] | Yugoslavia, Voislav Nanovic, 1952, 79′
Frosina, a single mother who suffered a lot in life and lost many children, faces the fear of losing her only surviving child in the fight for freedom… The film is restored and presented by the Cinematheque of North Macedonia.
PROGRAMME DETAILS & ACCESS LINK
PARTICIPATING FILM INSTITUTIONS 2022
PARTICIPATING FILM INSTITUTIONS 2020-2021
ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS
2023-05-19 | ACE REVEALS THE FOURTH EDITION OF A SEASON OF CLASSIC FILMS 2023
2023-03-20 | ARTEKINO CLASSICS 2023 PROGRAMME
2023-02-20 | PRESENTATION OF 2023 ARTEKINO CLASSICS DURING BERLINALE
2023-01-01 | A SEASON OF CLASSIC FILMS 2022 CLOSING TRAILER
2022-12-21 | PREMIERE OF OPERA FILM ORFEUSZ ÉS EURYDIKÉ ON THE LONGEST NIGHT
2022-10-28 | INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION DAY: SPOTLIGHT ON LOTTE REINIGER
2022-07-17 | ‘APARTADO DE CORREOS 1001’ (1950)
2022-06-25 | ‘IL CONFORMISTA’ (1970)
2022-03-29 | ARTEKINO CLASSICS: A NEW LOOK AT EUROPE’S FILM HERITAGE
2022-02-01 | ACE – ARTE PARTNERSHIP
2021-09-02 | TRAVEL THROUGH SWITZERLAND
2021-08-25 | ‘THE WAYWARD GIRL’ BY EDITH CARLMAR
2021-08-12 | PREMIERE OF THE RESTORED FILM ‘DERBORENCE’ (1985)
2021-06-28 | COMIZI D’AMORE BY PP PASOLINI
2021-06-27 | FISHERMEN AND FISHING (1961) – AN UNKNOWN GREEK MASTERPIECE
2021-06-22 | SEVEN SLOVENIAN SHORTS
2021-06-18 | ONE SONG A DAY TAKES MISCHIEF AWAY (1970)
2021-06-17 | SUMMER DAYDREAM – A SELECTION OF VINTAGE BULGARIAN SHORT FILMS
2021-06-15 | DUTCH NOUVELLE VAGUE: ‘A MORNING OF SIX WEEKS’ (1966)
2021-06-12 | PREMIERE OF THE RESTORED PORTUGUESE SILENT FILM ‘MARIA DO MAR’ (1930)
2021-06-11 | TWO NEW RESTORATIONS FROM THE CINEMATHEQUE OF NORTH MACEDONIA
2021-06-08 | CELEBRATING THE CINEMAS REOPENING IN BELGIUM
2021-05-23 | FIGHT FOR THE MATTERHORN (1928)
2021-05-17 | PREMIERE OF THE RESTORED ALBANIAN FILM ‘THE DEATH OF A HORSE’
2021-04-15 | SHE DIDN’T SAY NO! WORLDWIDE FREE PREMIERE ON THE IFI PLAYER
2021-04-08 | DISCOVER CZECH SILENT FILMS FOR FREE FROM APRIL TO JUNE
2021-02-05 | FREE WORLDWIDE SCREENING OF ‘SANZ AND THE SECRET OF HIS ART’
2020-10-27 | LIST OF FILMS: DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAMME CATALOGUE
2020-10-15 | THE NEW SEASON OF CLASSIC FILMS TO BE PRESENTED AT FESTIVAL LUMIÈRE
2020-08-31 | THE NEW SEASON OF CLASSIC FILMS TO BE PRESENTED AT IL CINEMA RITROVATO