Lost Reels presents a rare 35mm screening of Jean-Jacques Annaud’s extraordinary adaptation of Umberto Eco’s audacious first novel. In 1327 a Franciscan monk, William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) arrives at a Benedictine Abbey in Northern Italy to discover a string of suspicious deaths he quickly deduces are murders. Determined to find the culprits his investigation immediately leads to conflict with the ruthless Inquisitor Bernardo Gui (F. Murray Abraham), and Baskerville's life and that of his novice Adso (Christian Slater) are soon in danger.

Director Annaud spent five years working on his passion project, using four different writers to adapt Eco’s complex, philosophical novel, and travelling extensively through Europe to find the perfect locations and cast. The meticulous recreation of the Dark Ages by production designer Dante Ferretti and cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli (frequent Fellini and Pasolini collaborators) provides an authentic backdrop for the film, which features Sean Connery’s best ever (and BAFTA award-winning) screen performance, and a cast which also includes Ron Perlman, Michel Lonsdale, Elya Baskin and Valentina Vargas.

A dark intense murder mystery with an art-house sensibility, Lost Reels presents a special performance of this unique film from an original 35mm release print by special arrangement with the film’s producers in Germany.

Special thanks to Andrew Birkin for his support and participation.