The Trial

Dir. Orson Welles
Fra., Ita., WGer.
1962 — 118 mins.

FREE ADMISSION

Friday
27 February 2026
7pm

Owens Art Gallery
61 York Street
Sackville, NB

The Trial Poster


In THE TRIAL (1962), legendary filmmaker Orson Welles delivers an inspired and stylish adaptation of the famous Franz Kafka novel that shares its title.

Civil servant Joseph K (Anthony Perkins) finds his life unexpectedly upended after being charged with a nameless crime by a faceless and indifferent legal system. What follows is a nightmare vision of an ordinary man who, eager to clear his name but never quite sure of his guilt or innocence, becomes increasingly entangled in a bureaucratic labyrinth seemingly without end or purpose, and from which he struggles to escape.

Made late in his storied career, THE TRIAL is a showcase for Welles’ mastery over the medium, featuring his trademark cinematic style, including striking camera placement and movement, inventive lighting, and ingenious sound design.