A century-old French silent classic returns to India as Stéphane Scharlé’s live drum symphony gives “Paris qui dort” a heartbeat again.
A century after René Clair’s visionary film Paris qui dort first imagined a city frozen in time, the French Institute in India and the Alliance Française network are bringing this timeless masterpiece to Indian audiences this time, with rhythm, pulse, and imagination.
Performed live by acclaimed French drummer and composer Stéphane Scharlé, the ciné-concert Paris qui dort reawakens French cinema’s first science-fiction film through an electrifying score performed on his self-invented Augmented Drum an instrument that fuses acoustic percussion with loops, textures, and electronic landscapes.
The result is not just a film screening; it is a moment suspended between eras where early 20th-century Paris meets the immersive sound of contemporary jazz and electro.
A City Frozen, a Story Reimagined
In Paris qui dort (1924), a young watchman wakes up on the Eiffel Tower to find the city below eerily motionless cars paused mid-turn, people fixed mid-step. A mad scientist’s mysterious ray has stopped time. What follows is both surreal and philosophical a vision of human freedom when the world stands still.
Now restored in 4K by the Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Foundation, Clair’s silent classic finds a new voice in Scharlé’s live performance. With each beat, he transforms the stillness of old Paris into a modern sensory experience weaving together minimal electro, improvisational jazz, and cinematic ambience.
“I am delighted to be back in India to present this gem of French cinema, all the more so because the Indian audience seems to truly appreciate the new soundtrack that I am performing with my augmented drum set!” says Stéphane Scharlé, who has performed in over 40 countries and leads the celebrated French jazz collective OZMA.
A Cultural Experience That Crosses Centuries
With its poetic imagery and philosophical undertones, Paris qui dort continues to inspire conversations about time, technology, and human nature themes that feel as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago.
“What I loved about Paris qui dort is this unique balance between heritage and innovation. It’s a restored masterpiece by René Clair that speaks of France’s cinematic, architectural, and visual legacy - yet its reflection on the accelerating rhythm of the world feels strikingly contemporary. The live performance with the augmented drums adds a touch of unmistakable French chic.” said the Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs, at French Institute in India.
Presenting across 11 Indian cities till 16th November 2025, the Paris qui dort tour travels through New Delhi, Chandigarh, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Pondicherry, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, and Bangalore, inviting audiences to rediscover the early magic of cinema - now pulsing to a contemporary beat.
About Stéphane Scharlé and the Augmented Drum
Stéphane Scharlé’s Augmented Drum is a self-developed hybrid instrument that allows him to blend live drumming with electronic effects and melodic loops in real time. Using triggers, software, and a unique looping system, Scharlé creates an orchestral soundscape single-handedly — turning each screening into a living, breathing composition.
“Every performance evolves,” he explains. “The film remains the same, but the energy of the audience changes the music. That’s the beauty of it - it’s cinema that lives again.”
About Compagnie Tangram
Founded in 2010, Compagnie Tangram has produced more than twenty creations that cross the boundaries of music, cinema, photography, and dance. Through the projects of OZMA and its artistic director Stéphane Scharlé, the company continues to foster intercultural dialogue across the world. Tangram receives long-term support from the City of Strasbourg, the Grand Est Region, and DRAC Grand Est.
About the French Institute in India
The French Institute in India (Institut Français en Inde) is the educational, scientific, and cultural department of the Embassy of France in India. It facilitates academic and scientific exchanges between higher institutes of learning and research, enables student mobility, and promotes the French language as well as artistic and cultural dialogue.
Cooperation between India and France takes place across several sectors including Arts and Culture, Books and Ideas, French Language and Education, the Study in France program, Academic Partnerships, Science and Technology, as well as Innovation and Multimedia. Website: www.ifindia.in
About the Alliance Française Network
The Alliance Française aims to promote the French language, showcase French culture, and develop cultural ties between France and India.
In India, a strong and vibrant network of 15 Alliances Françaises brings people together through language, art, and exchange. Some centres have branches across states, such as Indore for Alliance Française de Bhopal, Baroda for Alliance Française d’Ahmedabad, and Coimbatore for Alliance Française de Madras.
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