Georges Melies and His Wandering Star Film Company at SMU

Southern Methodist UniversityMcCord Auditorium, 3rd Floor in Dallas Hall3225 University Blvd, Dallas

FRANCE • DOCUMENTARY • 60 MINS • 2015 • 15+*
DIRECTOR: RAPHAËL MILLET
This compelling documentary reveals a forgotten chapter in the history of cinema and our collective human diversity, as documented in the remarkable footage shot by a forgotten French cinematic pioneer.

Using incredibly rare footage, this revelatory film showcases the globe-trotting work of the brother of early cinema icon Georges Méliès, Gaston. From 1912 to 1913, Gaston sailed and filmed throughout the Pacific, to Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Java, Singapore, Cambodia, and finally Japan. His films were among the first to cast indigenous peoples in fiction roles and included many films shot around Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns. Extremely prolific, Gaston shot over 64 films, of which few survive.

This is the extraordinary story of a fearless individual who, with his wife Hortense, helped redefine what could be achieved with the medium of cinema. Transporting the viewer into a time and place rarely seen, this is an unmissable experience for all who love film and its capacity to empower and record history.
This program is made possible courtesy of Nocturnes Productions and by a generous grant from Humanities Texas

Southern Methodist University- McCord Auditorium in Dallas Hall

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