HippFest

02/09/2026

Team HippFest enjoyed a brilliant away day last week at Jupiter Artland - and we were so busy planning, these are the best pictures we got! 🎨😅

As a largely Freelance festival team, opportunities to come together in-person and reflect on our progress, dig into audience evaluation, and consider longer-term business planning are much appreciated. Jupiter Artland offered a beautiful setting to talk strategy - even including a cheerful team of sheep to bid us farewell!

31/08/2026

Big thanks to British Cinematographer for sharing news of our upcoming Taste of Silents season at Hippodrome Cinema!

'This year’s season has been curated by HippFest’s Young Programmers, young people working with the festival to gain invaluable experience in film exhibition. Reflecting on this year’s selections, Young Programmer Helen Jockel said: “We brought our own interests and discoveries to the programme, with the aim of showcasing just how varied silent cinema can be.

“We settled on four very different films that offer distinct avenues into the silent era, from German Expressionism and avant-garde documentary to slapstick stunts and Hollywood spectacle. Whether you’re a devotee of the form, or perhaps have never seen a silent film before, we hope audiences leave with an appreciation of the excitement and invention silent cinema offers.”'

📰 Read in full:

HippFest returns with its Taste of Silents season, with a selection of silent films and musical accompaniment at the Hippodrome Cinema.

27/08/2026

Make sure to vote for Hippodrome Cinema in the British Independent Film Awards Cinema of the Year competition! 🤩 Cast your vote: https://www.bifa.film/coty-vote/?cinema=hippodrome-cinema

27/08/2026

Call out for HippFest 2027 Young Programmers! 📣 Are you age 16 - 25 and passionate about film, music, and events? We're looking for new recruits to join our team of Young Programmers helping to shape HippFest 2027. As a Young Programmer, you will:

🍿 Curate silent film screenings with live music
🍿 Plan and host wraparound events such as Q&As, workshops and socials
🍿 Contribute to blogs, podcasts, and other festival content
🍿 Gain mentoring, training, and insights into film festival programming
🍿 Collaborate with peers and build valuable industry connections
🍿 Meet monthly (a mix of online and in-person sessions at The Hippodrome, Bo’ness – with travel reimbursed)

Join us! Applications close 1 September 2026: https://www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/hippfest/youth-and-community/open-call-hippfest-young-programmers/

Images from our HippFest 2026 Friday Night Gala, ft. wonderful Young Programmer tombola bosses Eve and Alanna, courtesy of Kat Gollock.

21/08/2026

We need your help 🫵

Voting is now open for the 2026 BIFA Cinema of the Year award!

As Scotland's oldest purpose-built cinema, the Hippodrome is calling on local residents, regular visitors and film lovers from across the UK to help secure national recognition for one of Bo’ness's most treasured landmarks.

Plus, ten voters will win a year of free cinema tickets so go on, click the link in the comments and vote for The Hippodrome!

21/08/2026

A fabulous article by the equally fabulous Pamela Hutchinson in The Guardian last year, all about extraordinary silent film (and first title in our upcoming 2026 Taste of Silents season) Queen Kelly (1929)! 👸

'It’s a far-fetched tale, which sets a curious tone from the beginning with its infamous meet-cute, in which Patricia is so overawed by meeting the prince that her knickers fall to the ground. On the first day of shooting in 1928, Swanson had a premonition that the film would never be finished, and events proved her correct...'

📰 Read in full: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/aug/11/director-madman-gloria-swansons-film-queen-kelly-von-stroheim-venice
🎟️ Book tickets: https://www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/whats-on/taste-of-silents-queen-kelly-1929-plus-qa/

The Hollywood icon played a convent girl falling for a prince in this bizarre film directed by Erich von Stroheim. Decades after it was abandoned, Queen Kelly will now be shown at the Venice film festival

17/08/2026

👑 Legendary screen icon Gloria Swanson was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood when she hired, and then fired, Erich von Stroheim from Queen Kelly (1929), making it the most infamous unfinished film in cinema history.

Using Swanson's own prints and outtakes, preserved at the George Eastman Museum, archivists Dennis Doros and Amy Heller of Milestone Film have now brought von Stroheim's original script to life, fashioning this remarkable reconstruction of Queen Kelly in its most complete and spectacular form to date.

We can't WAIT to share this with you - don't miss your chance to see this very special film at Hippodrome Cinema on Saturday 26 September, with live musical accompaniment from the one and only Neil Brand, and a whole host of pre- and post-screening goodies!

🎟️ Ticket link: https://www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/whats-on/taste-of-silents-queen-kelly-1929-plus-qa/

14/08/2026

Queen Kelly (1929) 👸 A lavish late silent masterpiece by Erich von Stroheim with a production almost as dramatic as its plot.

In an ancient kingdom in the middle of Europe, handsome Prince Wolfram falls in love with hot-headed orphan Patricia Kelly, inciting the cruel jealousy of his betrothed – the “mad queen” Regina. Patricia and Wolfram try desperately to overcome the Queen’s crazed efforts to drive them apart, but her rage knows no bounds… will the couple find happiness in the name of true love?

Featuring an in-person introduction with critic, film historian and author of 'The Curse of Queen Kelly', Pamela Hutchinson, PLUS post screening Q&A with Pamela Hutchinson and Neil Brand. Both will captioned.

🎟️ Nab a ticket: https://www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/whats-on/taste-of-silents-queen-kelly-1929-plus-qa/
🎹 Performing live: Neil Brand (piano)
📆 7:30PM Saturday 26 September, Hippodrome Cinema
🎞️ Screening material courtesy of Milestone Film & Video / Kino Lorber

11/08/2026

Have you tuned in yet? 📻️ Don't miss our new podcast release with special guest Kate Saccone!

' Feminist film historiography has, has taught me that, you know, history is not set, it's not finite, and it's not done. And it can- we can completely be revisiting it and rewriting it from different perspectives endlessly.

And I think that is really embodied in a project like WFPP (Women Film Pioneers Project) which, you know, we respond to new film discoveries, and we can update. We can transparently update a profile or a filmography. So that is this exciting idea about film history as, as, never being complete.'

🎧️ Listen to the full episode: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/alu5mIBOd5b
🖼️ Pioneer Cleo Madison in Photoplay (Jan. 1916)

07/08/2026

TASTE OF SILENTS 2026 🍿🤩 Our Autumn programme of silent film with live music returns to Hippodrome Cinema!

Once again our wonderful Young Programmer team have been working away behind-the-scenes, curating a perfect run of silent film morsels to illuminate the gloomier days and nights. And we've brought back the popular multi-ticket deal for audiences that would like to catch them all! Choose from:

26. Sep 👑 QUEEN KELLY (1929) Ft. post-screening Q&A with Pamela Hutchinson and Neil Brand, performing live: Neil Brand (piano)

17. Oct 🚋 SPEEDY (1928) Performing live: Mike Nolan (piano)

24. Oct 👹 FAUST (1926) Ft. confession box and themed cocktails! Performing live: Jane Gardner (piano) and Hazel Morrison (percussion)

7. Nov 🎥 MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (1929) Performing live: S!nk (Daniel Dumnov, Matt Wright, Tim Vincent-Smith).

🎟️ We'll see you soon for a film experience like no other! Browse and book: https://www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/whats-on/taste-of-silents