The present invention further relates to a projection system for motion picture film which comprises a film gate having a projection aperture, such that film frames of the film move past the projection aperture; a light source; illumination optics for directing light from the light source into the projection aperture of the film gate; a projection lens for projecting an image of each of the film frames onto a screen; a Geneva Mechanism for moving the film progressively past the projection aperture, with the Geneva Mechanism comprising a rotating driver having a drive pin, and a star wheel operationally associated with the film, with the star wheel comprising a plurality of radially extending slots which cooperate with the drive pin of the rotating driver to cause an intermittent rotation of the star wheel upon a rotation of the rotating driver and thereby cause and an intermittent motion of the film; and a shutter mechanism which blocks light incident onto the film frames of the film in synchronization with the intermittent motion of the film. One of the drive pin or the radially extending slots being shaped in a controlled manner to permit the star wheel to reach a peak acceleration and deceleration in a continuous manner.