Borderline

A European art film that could not possibly have been made within the Hollywood studio system, Borderline explores racial and gender politics while employing the radical editing techniques innovated by the Soviet avant-garde. When a Black couple, Pete and Adah (legendary actor Paul Robeson and wife Eslanda Robeson), rent a room above a tavern, it ignites the fears and jealousies simmering in a rural Swiss village. Having had an affair with Adah, Thorne (Gavin Arthur) braces for an inevitable confrontation with her husband. For this release, world renowned musician and producer Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky, created an ambitious jazz score that honors the spirit of the groundbreaking film, while injecting it with a 21st Century sensibility. Featuring performances by Premik Russell Tubbs (flute, alto saxophone), Neil ‘Nail’ Alexander (keyboards), Todd Isler (drums) and Michael O’Brien (upright bass), Miller’s score investigates the dynamic tension between sampling, collage, and minimalist jazz. Mastered from a 2K scan of 35mm materials preserved by the George Eastman Museum.