A significant retrospective examining one of Hollywood’s darkest chapters is set to premiere at the Locarno Film Festival this summer. “Red & Black: Hollywood Left and the Blacklist” will showcase works by acclaimed filmmakers and performers whose careers were derailed during the era of political persecution. Curator Ehsan Khoshbakht has assembled a program featuring pieces by directors Joseph Losey and Jules Dassin alongside writers Dalton Trumbo and Dorothy Parker, among others, exploring how creative minds resisted conformity during a period of intense scrutiny.
Khoshbakht describes the blacklist era as profoundly destructive, noting that the persecution caused severe consequences including health crises, family separations, and tragic losses. He emphasizes that the retrospective is not merely a historical exercise but addresses broader themes of institutional abuse and the dangers of fear-mongering. The program draws parallels between past intolerance and contemporary threats to democratic discourse, highlighting how suppression of free expression continues to threaten artistic and intellectual freedom.
The exile imposed on these professionals fundamentally altered their creative output. Forced to work within unfamiliar European film industries, many artists developed innovative hybrid approaches combining American sensibility with continental aesthetics. Notable examples include Losey’s exploration of neorealism and Dassin’s psychological investigations. The retrospective features nearly thirty restored 35mm prints, offering rare opportunities to experience crucial works that remained inaccessible for decades, including “The Intimate Stranger” and the rarely screened “Mission to Moscow.”
Originally reported by Variety →
About the Author
