I’d point you to “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” – the sets are a study in diagonal tension, the shadows are not just atmospheric but narrative. The composition drives the viewer’s eye like a leitmotif, and the lighting turns every corner into a character. In “Nosferatu” the low-key illumination casts long, looming shapes that echo the film’s themes of dread without a single spoken word. The silent era taught us that framing, depth of field, and chiaroscuro can carry emotion with the same force as dialogue; the viewer learns to read the mise‑en‑scène as if it were a script. So for your gathering, any film that lets the image speak for itself—especially the German expressionist ones—will resonate because the visual architecture is the story’s backbone.

A montage works, but only if the transitions feel inevitable, like a narrative thread. Start with a high-contrast opening shot – perhaps the looming, painted walls of “Caligari” – then cut to a close-up of a trembling hand in “Nosferatu” to ground the viewer in the human element. Keep the pacing in thirds; let each frame linger for three seconds to allow the audience to absorb the light, the shadows, the geometry. Insert a brief silent clip of a child’s drawing—real, raw—to remind everyone that the story continues outside the screen. The key is to let the visuals guide the mood, not to overwhelm it with rapid cuts. A steady rhythm, with occasional sharp contrasts, will keep the audience engaged without turning the montage into a distraction.

I’m glad the rhythm works for you, and the pauses will let the silence do its own storytelling. A gentle piano will add texture, but just watch that it doesn’t drown the visual dialogue. Keep the score low so the lights and shadows still speak. Good luck with the night—if the kids get a touch of expressionist drama in the room, they’ll carry that energy on stage.