The opening night of **The Judgement Hall Festival** returns to the majestic **St John Church,** **Bethnal Green**. To open the portal this year we bring you a special cinema screening of the legendary **Häxan (1922) by Benjamin Christensen**. This will be a once in a lifetime merging of occult cinematography & monolithic architecture. The night will also play host to a rare exhibition by maestro artist **Hector De Gregorio**.

"Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen’s legendary silent film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages and early modern era suffered from the same ills as psychiatric patients diagnosed with hysteria in the film's own time. Far from a dry dissertation on the topic, the film itself is a witches’ brew of the scary, the gross, and the darkly humorous. Christensen’s mix-and-match approach to genre anticipates gothic horror, documentary re-creation, and the essay film, making for an experience unlike anything else in the history of cinema." - The Criterion Collection.

The work of the London-based artist Hector de Gregorio is dramatic, theatrical, luscious, allegorical. In his own phraseology he terms it as “Static Cinema” and at least at first glance it does appear remarkably so. It is like taking in a grand costume drama, a late medieval/early renaissance theatrical story, full of twists and turns, vendettas and tragedies. But there is much more going on here than nice costumes and theatrical poses. Hector’s artwork is extraordinary. Although these are technically digital collages, the artist starts with conversations with the sitter, goes through graphic and literary research, builds a story around the sitter, and even makes the costumes when needed. Photographs are then taken in order to create the final digital piece.

All ages

Presented by The Judgement Hall.

No Covid-19 entry requirements

The Judgement Hall Festival : Day 1

Top track

The Judgement Hall Festival : Day 1

Top track

About

Lineup

Venue

St John Church Bethnal Green

Download the DICE app