Hungarian 1920 silent film After Death wins ACE restoration grant

Written by BT/MTI

Hungarian director Alfred Deesy’s 1920 silent film After Death has been awarded a joint restoration grant by the Association of European Cinematheques (ACE), the National Film Institute (NFI) said on Friday, citing an announcement at the Cannes Film Festival.

ACE awarded the grant to a restoration plan submitted jointly by the NFI Film Archive, the Belgian National Film Archive and La Cinematheque francaise as part of its A Season of Classic Films programme supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe scheme, NFI said in a statement.

After Death, found in the Belgian National Film Archive, is one of the few popular ghost stories to have survived from the silent film era, NFI said, noting that only three of the era’s 42 Hungarian fantastical films have survived.

Deesy’s film is an adaptation of a novel written by French writer Gaston Leroux, known also for The Phantom of the Opera, NFI noted.

After Death stars internationally famed actress Kamilla Hollay in the lead role, and is also recognised for its rich colour palette and unique technical elements.