Anères Festival - Silent Film and Talking Piano

Anères Festival: Silent cinema comes alive thanks to music

Every year at Pentecost, the tiny village of Anères, nestled in the Hautes-Pyrénées between Saint-Gaudens and Tarbes, hosts a festival like no other. The Anères Festival – Silent Film and Talking Piano, founded in 1998 by the Remue Méninges association, offers a unique cinematic experience: the screening of restored silent films, accompanied live by professional musicians positioned at the foot of the screen.

An original and unifying concept

The founding idea of the festival is to bring cinema closer to live performance. Each screening becomes a singular event, with music improvised or composed specifically for the occasion. The film copies are obtained from major European film archives, ensuring exceptional screening quality. Short and feature films are shown, ranging from comedy to drama, fantasy to documentary.

A village transformed by cinema

Despite its 180 inhabitants, Anères attracts an average of over 300 spectators per screening. The Café du Village becomes a meeting place for cinephiles, musicians, and locals. The festival is free, with participation being voluntary, symbolized by a giant piggy bank.

An impressive track record

Since its creation, the festival has presented over 420 silent films (shorts and features) accompanied by approximately 215 different musicians, making Anères a reference point for the rediscovery of silent film heritage.