Jazz on Screen: Ascenseur pour l'échafaud

Starring Jeanne Moreau alongside Maurice Ronet, this elegant classic, was made in 1958 when Louis Malle was just 24, and remains an important snapshot of Paris and of French filmmaking at the cusp of Nouvelle Vague.

Davis arrived in Paris in 1957 at the invitation of French producer Marcel Romano and was asked to provide music for Malle's new film. Working with a group of local musicians, he recorded the score in a single late-night session, creating music that is spare, restless and unmistakably modern. More than a soundtrack, it became a defining meeting of jazz and cinema, helping to shape the film's atmosphere and enduring reputation.

Presented as part of our Miles Davis centenary celebrations, this screening offers an opportunity to experience one of the great collaborations between jazz and film.