A slice of cinematic history came alive in Ahmedabad as the timeless 1924 French silent film Paris Qui Dort (also known as The Crazy Ray or Paris Asleep) found a new heartbeat through the live performance of French musician St&eacute;phane Scharl&eacute;.
Presented by Alliance Fran&ccedil;aise d&rsquo;Ahmedabad, in collaboration with Natarani and The French Institute in India, the cine-concert transformed the Natarani Amphitheatre into a realm where music and motion picture intertwined seamlessly.
Directed by Ren&eacute; Clair, Paris qui dort is a surreal science fiction comedy that imagines a Paris mysteriously frozen in time under the influence of a strange ray. But this evening, nearly a hundred years after its release, the film awakened once more not through dialogue or color, but through rhythm and sound.
At the heart of the performance was St&eacute;phane Scharl&eacute;, whose mastery over his self-modified &ldquo;augmented drums&rdquo; turned the screening into an immersive, multisensory experience. Every beat, brush, and rhythm seemed to synchronize perfectly with Clair&rsquo;s visionary imagery turning the silent frames into living, breathing art.
Scharl&eacute;&rsquo;s drumming wasn&rsquo;t merely accompaniment; it was dialogue. A conversation between past and present, between visual silence and auditory expression. The audience sat enthralled as Paris, long asleep, stirred with renewed energy, guided by Scharl&eacute;&rsquo;s deft musical storytelling.
This one-of-a-kind cine-concert stood as a beautiful reminder of the power of collaboration between nations, art forms, and centuries. It celebrated not only the enduring charm of early cinema but also the creativity that modern artists bring to reinterpret it for today&rsquo;s audiences.
As the final note faded into the night, Paris Qui Dort had once again awakened, not just on screen, but in every heart present at the Natarani Amphitheatre.

Stéphane Scharlé’s live drumming breathes new life into René Clair’s 1924 silent film

Paris Qui Dort revives with Stéphane Scharlé

Stéphane Scharlé’s live drumming breathes new life into René Clair’s 1924 silent film

November 2, 2025 | 16:38 IST