Faces and silent responses
The Passion of Joan of Arc, Persona and Portrait of a Lady on Fire explore responses beyond words. Compare face duration, watchers and surrounding space. A close-up offers proximity, not certain access to thought.
What to watch for
Describe eyes, silence, distance or posture before emotion. Then offer two readings and a detail that could distinguish them.
The order below is an editorial suggestion, not a ranking. Entries provide years, references and documented runtimes.
Plan your sessions
- The Passion of Joan of Arc — 1928 · 81 min
- Persona — 1966 · 83 min
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire — 2019 · 121 min
285 min — sum of documented film runtimes, excluding breaks and series.
Choose a first screening
These details describe documented editions in our selection. Original languages do not guarantee a service’s tracks or subtitles; check the entry and your edition before viewing.
| Work | Reference year | Cited edition runtime | Languages listed by source | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Passion of Joan of Arc | 1928 | 81 min | French | Identify presentation speed and musical accompaniment beforehand: Criterion also describes a 20-fps variant. Observe exchanged looks without assuming close-ups immediately share one space. The language reference concerns a silent film and its text. |
| Persona | 1966 | 83 min | Swedish | Focus on who speaks, listens and looks. A close-up can bring you near a face without explaining thoughts. Afterwards compare two moments when the relationship shifts, using a specific frame or silence as evidence. |
| Portrait of a Lady on Fire | 2019 | 121 min | French | Choose an exchange of looks: who observes and who knows she is observed? |
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Carl Th. Dreyer
Persona
Ingmar Bergman
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Céline Sciamma