The Passion of Joan of Arc

Synopsis

Focusing entirely on the trial and execution of the French saint, this film compresses the historical transcripts into a harrowing spiritual ordeal. Renée Falconetti delivers a raw, transcendent performance, captured almost exclusively in extreme close-ups that reveal every nuance of suffering. Carl Theodor Dreyer strips away makeup and elaborate sets to focus on the human face, creating a timeless masterpiece of pure emotion and raw cinematic intensity.

Critique

Carl Theodor Dreyer’s film is often cited as the greatest performance in cinema history. By rejecting makeup and sets in favor of extreme close-ups, Dreyer forced the audience to confront the naked soul of Renée Falconetti. The camera becomes an instrument of interrogation, capturing every micro-expression of suffering and faith. It revolutionized the use of the face as a landscape, proving that raw emotion could sustain a narrative better than action. It remains a timeless, spiritual masterpiece that transcends the silent era to touch the essence of human pain.

Technical sheet

Director

Carl Theodor Dreyer

Original title

La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc

Year

1928

Country

France

Running time

81 min

Genre

Drama, History

Written by

Carl Theodor Dreyer, Joseph Delteil

Cinematography

Rudolph Maté

Cast

Maria Falconetti, Eugène Silvain, André Berley, Maurice Schutz, Antonin Artaud, Michel Simon

Production

Société générale des films

Music

Newly composed original score

Licensing