Mel Brooks, Jerry Lewis, Martin Scorsese, Harry Shearer, Sarah Silverman
Programmer's PickClosed Captioning available for online screening
Jerry Lewis’ unseen Holocaust drama The Day the Clown Cried is one of the great legends of cinema history. Following a clown who entertains children at a Nazi concentration camp, the film—written, directed, and starring Lewis—was often derided as one of the greatest follies ever put to screen. Upon its completion, Lewis swore it would never see the light of day. Featuring extensive never-before-seen footage from the film along with in-depth interviews with Mel Brooks, David Cross, Martin Scorsese, and Lewis himself, From Darkness to Light dives into the history, context, and legacy of what would become known as the most notorious movie that nobody ever saw.
Guest
Rob Salem, a professor of TV History at Humber College, and an occasional actor, broadcaster and pop-culture pundit who has interviewed Jerry Lewis three times.
Reviews
“In a major coup, the doc blends rescued footage of the original film with revealing, contemporary insight with the surviving cast and crew – as well as Lewis supporters like Scorsese, Lewis himself and Harry Shearer.” – Little White Lies
“Stunning details the public never knew before about this essential film.” – Dennis Schwartz Movie Reivews
Co Presenters
Awards & Festivals
Nominee, Best Documentary – Venice Film Festival 2024