Special Screenings
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
JUNE 15TH 2024
2:30PM
PARADISE THEATRE
MARY PICKFORD FOUNDATION RESTORATION SCREENINGS
SPARROWS 1926
BEAST AT BAY 1912
FEUD IN OLD KENTUCKY 1912
with Special Guest Pickford biographer Eileen Whitfield
co-presented by Canadian Women in Film Museum
all photos courtesy of the Mary Pickford Foundation
Mary Pickford stars as Molly, the oldest of a group of orphans at a Dickensian “baby farm” deep in a dismal Southern swamp where they’re exploited, sold as child labour or illegally adopted. She fiercely fights to protect them from the cruel owner but to save them, she must escape by fleeing with them through the alligator infested swamps.
Sparrows is a beautifully stylized epic, part drama, part Gothic thriller, held together by Pickford’s heart and humour, and stunning cinematography.
Mary Pickford, born here in Toronto in 1892, had already worked nearly 2 decades in the film industry by the time she made Sparrows-her second to last silent film. By 1926, she was the world’s most recognized woman, “America’s Sweetheart”, the Queen of Hollywood, producer, actor, writer, studio founder and top businesswoman. Mary’s captivating star power, coupled with her onscreen underdog characters still resonates with audiences even at close to a century after production. Check out the trailer on YouTube
Sparrows will be screened with the specially commissioned composed and recorded score by Taylor and Cameron Graves. The short films will also be screened with commissioned and recorded scores.
The film was reconstructed by the Library of Congress from a 35mm tinted nitrate print and 35mm safety dupe negative with additional lab work by Colorlab.
PAST SPECIAL SCREENINGS
The Lodger
Keaton Palooza II
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Keaton Palooza
CO-PRESENTATIONS IN 2023
DECEMBER 8 2023 TIFF-SILVER SCREENINGS/LUBITSCH TOUCH: ROSITA
OCTOBER 2023 TORONTO FILM SOCIETY: (online) CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI
CO-PRESENTATIONS IN 2022/2023
MAY 12- GOETHE INSTITUT TORONTO: THE CHASE AFTER MILLIONS 1930 live music by SlowPitchSound
JUNE 12- TORONTO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: BROKEN BARRIERS live music by Mamaliga Klezmer Band
SEPT 29- TORONTO FILM SOCIETY: LEAP YEAR (ONLINE) part of the World Silent Film Day
FEB 5- TORONTO FILM SOCIETY: THIEF OF BAGDAD
FEB 13-TORONTO FILM SOCIETY: SAFETY LAST -CENTENARY SCREENING
SEPT. TORONTO FILM SOCIETY: SUNRISE