Faust - A German Folktale by F.W. Murnau

We invite you to Faust – A German Folktale, directed by F. W. Murnau. This is the FIRST screening in our series German Cinema in Focus. The series starts with a selection of films from the art movement German Expressionism.

© UFA GmbH Faust – A German Folktale by F.W. Murnau
1926 | 106 min. | German (silent)

A horror fantasy, this film is based on a novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, in which God and Satan wager on the soul of an alchemist, Faust, who makes a deal with the devil. It is a sensational work of double exposure and practical effects.

German Expressionism was a radical movement in various cultural fields which, like Dada and Surrealism, was largely a reaction to the horrors of World War I. The movement in cinema saw a rejection of traditional approaches in favour of depicting bleak themes. Regarded as one of most important film movements, it is marked by its non-realistic set designs and geometry, exaggerated worlds, chiaroscuro lighting, sharp angles, and an exterior depiction of the interior unconscious mind and reality. German Expressionism included themes of horror, psychosis, murder, dreams, class struggle, among many others.

F. W. Murnau was one of the prominent figures responsible for essential expressionist works such as Nosferatu, Faust, The Last Laugh, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, and much more. His technical mastery, and use of set design and special effects was particularly visionary.

Entry free!