Expressionism live: Silent movies set to music by writers at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni

Fans of German Expressionist Cinema can enjoy a rare treat in Rome this week with a series of very special screenings at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni of some of the silent movie genre's most famous films. In this retrospective each movie is given a contemporary musical score consisting of tracks chosen by Italian writers and then played live during the screening by some of the best local deejays – a fascinating experiment that has to be experienced to fully appreciate this fresh approach to these cinematic masterpieces.

On Saturday evening I was lucky enough to have caught the showing of Pandora's Box directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst and starring the enduringly charismatic Louise Brooks. The musical selection by Letizia Muratori, mixed by deejay DandywOlly, was an eclectic mix that worked incredibly well – sometimes comic, always surprising, there were songs by artists that ranged from Frank Sinatra to the inspired choice of The Tiger Lillies, interspersed with hypnotic sounds. Rufus Wainwright's The Dream from All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu was perhaps the most explicit reference to the protagonist and rightfully deserved a prominent place in the play-list.

The retrospective continues this week – click here for full programme details.