Parisian Musician Breathes New Life into 1924 Silent Sci-Fi Film

On Tuesday evening, October 26th, 2025, French drummer and composer Stephane Scharle will take the stage at the FTII auditorium in Pune, India to perform a live score for the 1924 silent science-fiction film "Paris Which Sleeps." The event, presented by the French Institute in India in collaboration with the Alliance Française, promises to bring the iconic century-old film to life with Scharle's unique musical interpretation.

Scharle, who has performed in nearly 50 countries and leads the acclaimed Strasbourg-based jazz collective OZMA, has developed a special instrument called the "Augmented Drum" for this cine-concert format. This hybrid instrument combines traditional percussion with electronic sounds, allowing Scharle to control a vast palette of sounds through gestures and 3D touch technology.

The musician believes that his reimagining of the silent classic will enhance the film's futuristic dimension and emotional impact. "When I first saw the film, I felt like I was actually seeing images of the 2020 lockdown. The view of an empty Paris in the film strangely echoed what I witnessed with my own eyes just a few years earlier," said Scharle. He hopes that his music will shape the story, sometimes setting the atmosphere, sometimes enhancing the emotions, and at other times mirroring the visuals on screen.

Scharle's performance is part of his ongoing tour, which has taken him to various countries, including India, where he has observed how audiences respond differently to his cine-concerts. "In India, people react very strongly and are not afraid to show their emotions," he said, in contrast to more restrained audiences in Europe and China.