A genius filmmaker, mime artist and acrobat who defied the fundamental laws of gravity, Buster Keaton is truly the alpha and omega of silent cinema. Nicknamed ‘the man who never laughs’, he crafted a world in which the mechanics of the world become his co-star, where every object and every set becomes an accomplice in a brand of slapstick that is as precise as it is poetic. The inventor of a strikingly modern cinematic language, Keaton blends the mathematical precision of the gag with a melancholic tenderness and a discreet yet deeply moving humanity. His films, driven by technical virtuosity and boundless imagination, turn the impossible on its head, taking us on a journey through a world that is at once dreamlike, comical and profoundly human.

In 2020, the Multilatérale ensemble joined forces with composer Martin Matalon, a master of the film concert, to set three of Buster Keaton’s short films to music. This first cycle gave rise to a film concert in which the energy and vibrancy of the images are matched by those of the sounds.

Building on this experience, Multilatérale is continuing its exploration of silent cinema with a new instalment planned for 2026, entrusted to the composer Wen Deqing, a Chinese-Swiss artist whose work is characterised by a keen sense of contrast, a refined compositional style blending Eastern and Western influences, and a constant curiosity about the intersection of the arts. He, in turn, will lend his unique artistic vision to three of Keaton’s medium-length films, thereby extending this musical and visual adventure in which virtuosity, invention and humour come together.