Opening Night: Segundo de Chomón

A rare opportunity to venture inside one of Birmingham’s landmarks, and to rediscover a forgotten master of silent film.

A rare opportunity to venture inside one of Birmingham’s landmarks, and to rediscover a forgotten master of silent film.

Although Spanish wizard Segundo de Chomon has often been overshadowed by his early cinema contemporary Georges Méliès, the work he left behind is arguably as brilliant. Starting out in Barcelona and then based at Pathe in Paris from 1905, de Chomon was happy roaming across genres from Gothic horror and trick-film to slapstick and travelogue, and the selection of films on show here give a good taste of his joyous inventiveness. Look out for gigantic frogs, gravity-defying acrobats and an electric hotel, as well as some eye-popping experiments with stencil colour. Matching the images for variety and skill will be our live accompanist, acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Stephen Horne.

The Grand Hotel has been closed since 2002. This may be the last chance to explore the historic Grosvenor Suite before the Grand is born again as a hotel, and we will be doffing our caps to some of the building’s illustrious past guests.

Running times:

Doors 7pm

Films 8pm

Interval 8:50pm

Films 9:15pm

Supported by Hortons Estates and the Institut Ramon Llull.