Silent Cinema Stars Set To Return To Bo’ness
Save the date: the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema is returning on 16 – 18 March 2012 as part of the centenary celebrations for Scotland’s oldest purpose-built picture palace, the Hippodrome in Bo’ness.
The Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema is the only film festival in Scotland devoted to silent cinema. The Festival was first staged in March 2011 and the three-day event was a huge success with more than 1,500 festival-goers treated to the unique Hippodrome cinema experience. Festival organisers for the 2012 Hippodrome Festival are planning another weekend of rare and classic films, workshops, live musical performance, and special events aimed at celebrating the magic of silent cinema as the Hippodrome enters its centenary year – marking one hundred years of the venue’s part in Scotland’s great tradition of cinema-going.
The Hippodrome opened in March 1912 and was the brainchild of filmmaker Louis Dickson and renowned architect Matthew Steele. An A-listed building at the heart of the Bo’ness community, the cinema re-opened in 2009 following a £2m refurbishment programme funded by the Scottish Historic Building Trust, and is now run by Falkirk Community Trust.
Ian Scott, Chair, Falkirk Community Trust said: “Falkirk Community Trust is committed to delivering high quality, exciting and innovative events. The Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema 2012 promises to be a fantastic start to the centenary year and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors to join us in the celebrations.”
Festival organisers are also delighted to announce the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema 2012 has been awarded funding by Regional Screen Scotland in addition to support from Falkirk Community Trust. Ron Inglis, Director of Regional Screen Scotland said: "We are delighted to support the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema again in 2012. Silent cinema continues to entertain, and sometimes amaze, audiences with pioneering films accompanied by live music. The Festival in 2011 was one of the best cinema events of the year with enthusiastic audiences and a wonderful atmosphere in the glorious Hippodrome."
The Festival programme will be launched in February, but in the meantime dinnae haud yer wheesht: register to receive the latest information by emailing hippodrome@falkirk.gov.uk
- Falkirk Council ( 28/11/2011 )