Bernard Natan - 1920’s French cinema pioneer and founder of Pathé - forms the subject of a new Screenworks documentary which will investigate his forgotten life and a career sullied by involvement in the porn industry.
‘Natan’, which was made under the Reel Art initiative of the Arts Council, explores how a man once considered a father of French cinema was effectively erased from history after working as a director and star in early gay porn.
It premiered at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival this year, and is set to receive its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 23rd June with a repeat screening on 29th June.
Directors David Cairns and Paul Duane investigate how the man who brought sound to French cinema and Cinemascope to the screen before the word existed, came to such a tragic end.
The documentary thus doubles as portrait of the birth of cinema and a history of French bigotry in the '20s and '30s.
Contributors to ‘Natan’ include Serge Bromberg, director of Henri-Georges Clouzot's ‘Inferno’; Gisele Casadesus, one of the last surviving actresses from the pre-WW2 days of Pathé-Natan; and Prof Joseph Slade of Ohio University, whose writings on Natan caused 25 years of controversy.
‘Natan’ is written by David Cairns and produced by Paul Duane with other cast and crew including editor Eoin McDonagh, and executive producer Craig McCall.
The filmmakers accessed original archives from Natan's grand-daughters in piecing together one of the most remarkable and forgotten men of European cinema.
Shot in Paris, Edinburgh, Ohio and Los Angeles, the film is scored by the Irish instrumental project Seti the First.
Paul Duane’s last documentary feature was the IFTA-nominated ‘Barbaric Genius’, about the life of writer John Healy, and he is also known for co-creating and producing ‘Amber’ and ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’, and directing episodes of ‘Ballykissangel’ and ‘Footballers' Wives’.
David Cairns has made many short films including ‘Cry for Bobo’, ‘Inside an Uncle’ and ‘The Return of Peg Leg Pete’, and has worked on BBC Scotland’s ‘Intergalactic Kitchen’.
Natan will premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 23rd June with tickets available here.
The trailer for ‘Natan’ can be seen below:
