The Hippodrome Cinema, Bo’ness and Falkirk area, 19th till 23rd March
HippFest, Scotland’s silent film festival, marks its 15th anniversary this year in the fabulous Bo’ness Hippodrome – Scotland’s oldest purpose-built cinema – which opened in 1912. Where better to appreciate the golden age of cinema than in a stunning pre-art deco picture palace?
The annual celebration of silent film is sure to excite cinema-heads with its most ambitious programme yet. Running from 19th till 23rd of March, the festival spotlights cinematographers from across the globe and across the ages, alongside stunning musical accompaniments.
Explore stark and beautiful Finland in the eerie folk-horror Before the Face of the Sea (Meren kasvojen edessä), with live musical accompaniment from Jane Gardner and Caroline Salmonan on the opening day of the festival. Or perhaps lose yourself in one of China’s most beloved Ming dynasty tales, about a cannibalistic spider-women, in 1927’s The Cave of the Spider Woman (Pan Si Dong), accompanied by Günter Buchwald and Frank Bockius on piano, violin, and percussion.
From the obscure to the revered, HippFest has got you covered – and that’s not all! To celebrate its milestone birthday, the festival will be premiering What the Water Remembers – The Dark Mirror. Commissioned in partnership with Flatpack Festival, this exciting new film by artist Moira Salt uses archival footage to weave a mythological tale around the significance of British canals, inspired by the Forth and Clyde Canal and Falkirk Tunnel. The film will premiere at the festival on 22nd March, accompanied by a newly commissioned live score by Tommy Perman and Andrew Wasylyk, known for their combination of meditative ambient soundscapes and folktronica.
Beyond its exciting line-up of films, HippFest also provides an excuse to explore beautiful Bo’ness. Look behind the curtain with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Hippodrome to unlock its rich history, or even pay tribute to the ‘King of The Lowlands’ with a guided tour and whisky tasting from the newly restored Rosebank Distillery. While you could experience Bo’ness’ wild side through the Guided Nature Walk led by the RSPB after the whisky tasting, we might not recommend that particular combo.
Whatever floats your boat, if you’re the curious sort, HippFest has probably got it.
HippFest will take place at The Hippodrome Cinema and other venues across Bo’ness and the Falkirk region from 19th till 23rd March.
hippodromecinema.co.uk/hippfest
Main image: The Cave of the Spider Woman (Pan Si Dong) (1927) Image courtesy of The National Library of Norway
