Expanded Cinema: Häxan (1922) Live Scored

Expanded Cinema is a series of performances that combine cinema with live music, movement, theatre, and more. We are excited to present a very spooky Halloween edition of this series, bringing one of the most enduring horror films of all time to life with a live, improvised score by Noah Franche-Nolan and Meredith Bates. One of the earliest depictions of witches in the history of cinema, Benjamin Christensen’s silent era masterpiece Häxan was in fact an attempt to demystify superstitions by rooting them in mental illness. Divided into seven acts, Häxan stages an exaggerated retelling of the practice of witchcraft through the ages, piecing together original writings, paintings, illustrations, and witness accounts to bring to life the essence of the witch myth, while at the same time serving as a deeply disturbing record of centuries of female oppression. D espite being 104 years old, this film contains nudity and disturbing scenes which some viewers may find troubling. Viewer discretion is advised! Rating: unrated Runtime: 105 minutes - Noah Franche-Nolan is a Juno-nominated Canadian pianist, improviser, composer, and producer based in Vancouver, BC. Known for blending emotional sincerity with technical intricacy, he leads the Noah Franche-Nolan Trio, whose acclaimed releases on Cellar Live Music include Rose-Anna (2025) and Within the Stream (2023). A versatile collaborator, Noah co-leads the Juno-nominated Indo-jazz fusion ensemble Raagaverse alongside Shruti Ramani, the drum-and-synth outfit DRMHS, and the ambient electro-acoustic duo arid landscapes, in addition to composing original works for ensembles and films. Meredith Bates is a distinguished Vancouver-based violinist and composer, known for her unique contributions to the Canadian music scene as both a solo artist and collaborator. With a strong focus on artistic exploration, she has gained recognition through her versatile performances and innovative projects, including her work with acclaimed ensembles such as Pugs and Crows and Gentle Party, her leadership roles in organizations like the Improvised Arts Society, Seagrass Music Society, and the Canadian New Music Network, and her solo albums, If Not Now (2020) and Tesseract (2023). - Live Music at VPL is generously funded by VPL Foundation donors.