Woman of the World + Pearl Jam

Set against the refined backdrop of 1920s high society, A Woman of the World stars Pola Negri as Countess Elnora Natatorini, a glamorous European adventuress who abandons the salons of Monte Carlo for a Midwestern American town—only to find that her sophistication clashes with local mores. The film quietly dissects notions of independence, reputation, and transformation, culminating in a memorable scene where the countess brandishes a bullwhip to disrupt the staid structures around her.

In this special presentation, the film is re-imagined through the lens of the Silents Synced event-cinema project, which pairs classic silent films with modern music in an immersive way. As part of that initiative, Pearl Jam’s catalogue underscores the narrative: the band’s emotional grit, raw urgency and melodic depth provide a contemporary counterpoint to the silent-era visuals. The result is a layered experience—Nu-grunge textures, searing vocals, and driving rhythm match the countess’s force of personality, while the silent film’s elegance and stillness sharpen the impact of the sound.

Audiences should expect a journey where image and sound amplify one another: the film’s cigarette smoke, couture gowns, and quiet rebellion are echoed in Pearl Jam’s tonal shifts and vocal intensity. Title-cards linger as the music pulses; sequences of social ritual and tension find new resonance in guitars and drums; the metaphor of escape—physical, societal and emotional—takes on richer meaning through this hybrid format. In the hands of Silents Synced, what was once a silent narrative becomes a living dialogue between past and present, film and rock.