Les Yeux II: New Accompaniment to Georges Franju’s Les Yeux Sans Visage

French composer Félicia Atkinson has transformed a cult horror film score into a powerful new album, reimagining the haunting music of Georges Franju’s 1960 classic Les Yeux Sans Visage (Eyes Without a Face) for a modern audience. Set for release on June 26, Sans Visage is a 34-minute distillation of Atkinson’s original 90-minute composition, originally created for the Videodroom series at Belgium’s Viernulvier cultural center. The first single, “Les Yeux II,” is now available, offering a taste of Atkinson’s atmospheric and emotionally charged approach.

Atkinson’s new album is not merely a soundtrack reissue. Instead, This proves a deliberate reinvention, shifting the emotional focus of Franju’s unsettling story—a surgeon’s obsession with reconstructing his daughter’s disfigured face—toward the empowerment of its characters. “Through the music, I decided to bring back [the characters’] empowerment despite what they endure,” Atkinson explained in a press release. This thematic choice reflects a broader artistic intention, one deeply influenced by real-world resilience.

The album is dedicated to Gisèle Pelicot, a French rape survivor whose trial took place as Atkinson was composing the score. Pelicot’s strength and decision to speak out against shame became a central inspiration for the project. “I kept thinking of her strength and her decision to share her trial in order to reverse the shame,” Atkinson said. This personal connection imbues Sans Visage with a layer of emotional depth, elevating it beyond a mere film score to a meditation on survival and dignity.

Sans Visage follows Atkinson’s critically acclaimed solo albums Space as an Instrument and Promenades, continuing her exploration of experimental soundscapes and avant-garde composition. Just last month, she released Reflections Vol. 3: Water Poems, a collaborative effort with Christina Vantzou, further cementing her reputation as a boundary-pushing artist in contemporary music.

Franju’s Les Yeux Sans Visage remains a controversial and visually striking entry in horror cinema, known for its poetic black-and-white imagery and a surgery scene that shocked audiences upon its release. Atkinson’s score, however, does not dwell on the film’s brutality. Instead, it seeks to reclaim the humanity of its characters, offering listeners a new perspective on a story that has long been defined by its macabre themes.

With Sans Visage, Atkinson bridges the gap between film and concert music, inviting audiences to experience the tension and beauty of Franju’s masterpiece through a contemporary lens. The album’s release marks a significant moment for both the composer and the legacy of a film that continues to captivate and unsettle.

For fans of experimental music and cult cinema, Sans Visage promises to be a standout release of 2026, blending artistic reinvention with a profound commitment to storytelling and resilience.