The Kennington Bioscope is a regular cinema event featuring live accompaniment to silent films that takes place at the Cinema Museum.

The main feature is Sangue Blu/Blue Blood (1914), directed by Nino Oxilia, and starring Francesca Bertini. Bertini plays the Princess of Monte Cabello, who is divorced and is granted custody of her beloved daughter. Her ex-husband’s mistress hires private detectives who take seemingly incriminating photographs of the Princess with the actor Jacques Wilson. The Princess is devastated when these cause her daughter to be taken from her, and the Princess then falls into the clutches of Wilson. In order to pay his gambling debts, Wilson forces her to humiliate herself by appearing in a play.

Bertini was one of the most successful film actresses of the silent era, at one time reportedly earning more than Mary Pickford. She successfully moved into talkies, but the rise of Fascism and changes to the Italian film industry meant that she made few films. She was persuaded by Bernardo Bertolucci to appear in his film Novecento (1976). She died in 1985, aged 93.

Anyone interested in silent film should visit the website for more info and to request an invitation using the email kenbioscope@gmail.com.

Tickets & Pricing

£3 (£2 of which goes to the Cinema Museum).