NSFF | Sun and Shadow

An illustrated introduction to digital film restoration by restorer Maria Fuentes, followed by two films she has worked on. The main film, Sun and Shadow, is an absolute gem featuring the French superstar Musidora, where a young maid is betrayed by her fiancé, a famous bullfighter who falls for an exotic foreign woman. Each year, the Netherlands Silent Film Festival presents recent discoveries and restorations, meticulously restored by film archives and laboratories worldwide. But how does this process work, and who are the people bringing these films back to life on the big screen? Film restorer Maria Fuentes gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse and shares her methods, the tools she uses, and how she collaborates with various film archives to make these gems from the silent film era accessible again. A talk illustrated with clips from films, followed by screenings of two restorations Maria has worked on: the short film Jane’s Declaration of Independence, about a young woman rebelling against her father and deciding to marry the soldier she loves, and the main film Sun and Shadow. Based on the short story “L’Espagnole” by Maria Star, and co-directed, adapted, produced, and featuring Musidora in two different roles, Sun and Shadow is a film of stunning beauty, born from a unique vision. Filmed in Toledo and Écija, it tells the story of a passionate love triangle: Juana is engaged to the famous bullfighter Antonio. When he is seduced by a foreign woman, a tragic tale of rejection and revenge unfolds. Maria Fuentes is a film restorer based in the Netherlands. She has been working in film conservation since 2009 and, as Fontibula since 2017, also specializes in digital restorations, including films like Padlocked and Foolish Wives. In collaboration with the San Francisco Film Preserve, she has worked with many archives, including the Eye Filmmuseum, the British Film Institute, the Library of Congress, the Cinémathèque française, and MoMA. She also teaches film restoration at the Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola in San Sebastián. SHORT FILM Jane’s Declaration of Independence (US, 1915), directed by Charles Giblyn. Length: 18 min. English intertitles. Experience a whole weekend filled with silent films and live music Opt for a day pass or a full pass and immerse yourself in the world of early cinema. Day Pass & Full Pass