The 1928 silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, is undergoing a transformative revival. Disruptor Post, a small studio located in Woonona, Illawarra, has accepted an interesting challenge. This month, they’ll be advancing that work to restore and colourise the iconic film and breathe new life into this cinematic masterpiece. Foursquare’s involvement This new initiative goes a long way towards updating the visual aesthetic. It adds interactive sound effects and a freshly composed musical score by Thomas Norgen, making it a unique experience for today’s audiences.
Disruptor Post has a dozen talented digital artisans all committed to carefully TRANSFORMING the film frame by frame. This careful process reflects the studio’s commitment to preserving the original integrity of Dreyer’s work while making it accessible to newer generations. According to their operations manager Corey Pearson, the studio is truly passionate about honoring the vision of the creator. Simultaneously, they adopt cutting-edge technology to produce the most engaging film possible.
“We’re paying respect to the creator, we don’t change the editorial, but we give that film all the things the filmmaker might not have had at that moment in time, the obvious one being colour,” – Corey Pearson
The Process of Colourisation
For all the stunning results, colourising a black-and-white film is no easy feat, with an emphasis on accuracy and detail. With a focus on cultural integrity and authenticity, Disruptor Post has created its own library of colours and shapes to incorporate into their work. The team was afforded the luxury of a blank slate. They outrageously (but not surprisingly) had to teach their system to identify how different skin tones look under various lighting conditions.
Pearson points to the detail that goes into this frame by frame approach, “Care is frame by frame. He understands that shortcuts are alluring. To take them would do a disservice to their dedication to craft and their creative spirit.
“We could easily just go, ‘Who’s going to notice that?’ But we saw it and if we don’t do something we’re working against our own motto,” – Corey Pearson
This selfless dedication to craft is one of the many keys to the real-life film’s long lasting legacy. It has been lauded for its emotional resonance and artistic excellence.
A Modern Audience and Archival Access
Along with colourisation, Disruptor Post added interactive sounds that emulate activistic animal-like actions, movements, and outfits. This further complicates and modernizes the film. It hooks in younger audiences, who are accustomed to dynamic visuals and quick pacing. Pearson draws a parallel between the experience of watching classic cinema and visiting an art museum:
“What teenagers watch now is bright and fast-paced, but this is like going to the Louvre and sitting in the Master’s section,” – Corey Pearson
Though the colourisation project has garnered a wave of positive press, colourisation is still a controversial practice among film purists. Neil Richards, a former industry insider turned critic, points out the double-edged sword of this tactic. Further, he likes the democratic aspect of colorization, because it makes archival footage that would otherwise languish unseen more accessible. He’s mindful of the artistic sensibilities behind remaking original works.
“But I understand if colourisation creates a way to access films, that’s probably a good thing,” – Neil Richards
This filmmaking project captures the rapidly evolving state of cinema. Perhaps most significantly of all though, it reaffirms that traditional films can still succeed in today’s long-tail formats.
Future Prospects for The Passion of Joan of Arc
The restored version of The Passion of Joan of Arc will have its world premiere at the 76th Berlin Film Festival 2026. This submission represents the latest step in a new effort to return it and its history to public life. At present Disruptor Post is in active conversation with a number of European rights holders about exciting distribution opportunities.
The film industry is coming under enormous pressure as new technologies upend movie going as we know it. Disruptor Post is at the forefront of changing this conversation, looking into AI’s impact on visual effects and scriptwriting. Pearson and his team have carved a path for themselves as pioneers within Australia’s burgeoning colourisation industry, proving that innovation can go hand-in-hand with tradition.
“We’ve taken a badly damaged black-and-white film with no sound and enhanced the quality, coloured it, and added sound effects,” – Corey Pearson
