National
February
14 – 19 February Slapstick Festival, Bristol This is the 19th annual edition of what has grown to be the largest festival of slapstick comedy in Europe. This year’s silent film highlights include; that rare thing, a Soviet comedy, The Cigarette Girl Of Mosselprom [Dir: Yuri Zhelyabuzhsky, Soviet Union, 1924); the great Marlene Dietrich in a late German silent I Kiss Your Hand, Madam (Dir: Richard Land, Germany, 1929; a Buster Keaton double bill The Navigator (Dir, Donald Crisp & Buster Keaton, USA 1924) and Sherlock Jr ( Dir Buster Keaton, USA, 1924); and, Harry Langdon in Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (Dir: Harry Edwards, USA, 1926). Plus lots of high profile guests providing knowledgeable introductions to the films and all accompanied by live music from some of the world’s best silent film accompanists. Various venues, Bristol Link
March
3 – 19 March – Borderlines Film Festival Now in its twenty first year, the annual Borderlines Film Festival runs in the Shropshire, Hereford and Marches areas. It usually has a small but high quality silent film element although there are no further details as yet. Various venues. Link
22 – 26 March. HippFest – Hippodrome Festival of Silent Film Scotland’s premier silent film festival takes place in Scotland’s oldest purpose-built cinema, with a range of British and international silent films. Its always a packed programme with films, presentations and discussion, all with live musical accompaniment of the highest caliber. No programme details as yet. Hippodrome Cinema, Bo’ness, Scotland Link
April
TBC Kennington Bioscope Silent Comedy Weekend No silent film festival programme would be complete without the KenBio’s awesome weekenders, all featuring knowledgeable introductions and live musical accompaniment. Cinema Museum, London Link
July
TBC Cinema Rediscovered, Bristol The 7th annual event bringing the finest digital restorations, contemporary classics and film print rarities back where they belong – on the big screen, including a selection of silents. No programme details as yet Various cinemas across Bristol. Link
September
TBC British Silent Film Festival Absent for too long, we heard a rumour that the festival may be back in 2023. Can’t say more than that but working on the theory that if we list it then it will happen! Phoenix Cinema, Leicester Link
October
TBC London Film Festival Hopefully this year with a stronger silent film element than 2022. BFI Southbank, London Link
International
January
12 – 15 January Netherlands Silent Film Festival Always with a strong emphasis on slapstick but this year also screening; the delightful Pola Negri in Forbidden Paradise (Dir. Ernst Lubitsch, USA 1924 ); a rarely screened Ozu, That Night’s Wife (Dir. Yasujiro Ozu, Jap, 1930); and a brand new restoration of intimate drama Just Around The Corner (Dir. Frances Marion, USA, 1921 ). All with live musical accompaniment. Pand P and Parktheater, Eindhoven Link
18 – 22 January Copenhagen Silent Film Festival Now in its fourth year, this year’s festival features Danish auteur Benjamin Christensen with screenings as both director and star including Blind Justice (1916) and The Devil’s Circus (1926). Other films include Douglas Fairbanks swashbuckling in Mark of Zorro (1920) and steamy Czech melodrama Erotikon (1929) as well as a whole day of silent comedy. The films come with knowledgeable introductions from experts in the field and with live musical accompaniment from some of the best silent film musicians including Stephen Horne and Neil Brand. Cinematheque, Copenhagen Link
February
16 – 26 February Berlin International Film Festival. Programme to be confirmed. Usually containing a strong element of silent film. Berlin, Germany Link
24 – 25 February Kansas Silent Film Festival As always, a packed programme, this year including; The Covered Wagon (Dir. James Cruze, US, 1923); an evening with Harold Lloyd, including Safety Last (1923); Marion Davis in Little Old New York (1923); and Cecil B. DeMille’s epic The Ten Commandments (1923) White Concert Hall, Washburn University and Jayhawk Theatre, Topeka, Kansas Link
April
14 – 16 April – Toronto Silent Film Festival Now in its 13th year. No programme details as yet. Revue Cinema, Toronto, Canada Link
TBC Silent Film Days _ Tromso International Film Festival Founded by Tromsø Kino in 1991, TIFF has grown to be a cultural flagship in Norway and an important meeting point for Norwegian and international film industry. Silent Film Days is an arena for unique collaborations between professional musicians from around the world, with specially composed music performed live to silent film classics of all genres. No programme details as yet. Verdensteatret Cinematheque, Tromso, Norway Link
May
TBC San Francisco Silent Film Festival With the future of the historic Castro Theatre still in doubt, the status of this year’s festival is not clear. Hopefully the festival, in its 26th year, will go ahead, either at the Castro or an alternative venue. All films performed with live musical accompaniment from some of the world’s foremost silent film musicians. Castro Theater, San Francisco, USA Link
June
1 – 4 June The Nitrate Picture Show The Nitrate Picture Show, the world’s festival of film conservation, returns for its seventh year. The festival features screenings of vintage nitrate prints from international archives—including the Eastman Museum’s own collection. No programme details as yet. Eastman Museum, Rochester, New York, USA Link
24 June – 2 July Il Cinema Ritrovato, A festival dedicated to the rediscovery of rare and little-known films with a particular focus on the origins of cinema and the silent movie period. It is organised every summer by the Cineteca di Bologna and is one of the world’s major festivals of film restoration. No programme details as yet Various locations Bologna, Italy Link
July
24-25 July Maine Silent Film Festival The first running of this festival so we wish them every success. Screenings include an evening of railroad disasters including The Juggernaut (1915) and a day of LGBTQ+ silents including Different from the Others (Dir. Richard Oswald, Ger, 1919) All films come with live musical accompaniment. Alamo Theatre, Bucksport, Maine USA Link
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September
TBC Primoji Banga (Early Film) Festival This will be the eighth edition of the Pirmoji Banga Film Festival. No details as yet. Vilnius, Lithuania Link
October
7 – 14 October Pordenone Silent Film Festival Running since 1982 as a collaborative effort between La Cineteca del Friuli in Gemona and the Cinemazero filmclub in Pordenone, the Giornate del Cinema Muto, aka Pordenone Silent Film Festival, has established itself as the leading international event dedicated to the preservation, diffusion, and study of the first thirty years of cinema. No programme details as yet. Cinema Verdi, Pordenone, Italy Link
13 – 22 October Live Score Film Festival Running since 2019, all films come with live musical accompaniment. No programme details as yet. Setubal, Portugal Link
20 – 22 October Marie Dressler Foundation – Vintage Film Festival In 1992, a group of film enthusiasts involved in the restoration of the Marie Dressler house had a wild idea. Why not hold a festival showing the films in which Marie Dressler had starred? This seemingly fantastic idea grew into the present form in which they show a variety of films generally made before about 55-60 years ago, often, although not always, including a film starring Marie Dressler. This year’s programme includes Broken Blossoms (Dir. D W Griffiths, 1919) and The Phantom of the Opera (Dir. Rupert Julian, 1925) Capitol Theater, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada Link
November
TBC Mexico Silent Film Festival. Hopefully not a covid casualty but no details on this year’s festival. Puebla, Mexico Link (in Spanish, may no longer be active)
December
TBC Istanbul Silent Cinema Days Festival. No further details at present. Istanbul, Turkey Link
Silentfilmcalendar.org 