Arts 28 January 2021
Hippodrome Silent Film Festival Scoops Silent London Awards
The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival (aka HippFest) is delighted to have picked up two awards at this year’s prestigious Silent London Awards. HippFest won Best Real-World Silent Film Screening of 2020 for its screening of Filibus (1915) and honourable mention for its online screening of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920) accompanied by musician and broadcaster Neil Brand on piano.
Filibus: The Mysterious Air Pirate with accompaniment by Jane Gardner (piano) was presented at the Barony Theatre in Bo’ness, the week before the Festival was cancelled and the country went into lockdown at the end of March. It was also rescreened online in November as part of the 2020 edition of St Andrew’s Fair Saturday in Scotland.
Filibus: The Mysterious Air Pirate follows the adventures of Filibus (aka Baroness Troixmond… aka the cross-dressing Count de la Brive) the fiendishly clever, ever-so-alluring, techno-savvy mistress of disguise, and jewel-thief extraordinaire high across the Italian Riviera in her airship from where she steals from the rich and then mysteriously vanishes into the clouds.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920) with piano accompaniment by Neil Brand was just pipped to the post by Pordenone Silent Film Festival’s Penrod & Sam accompanied by Stephen Horne – familiar to Hippodrome audiences from his regular performances at HippFest.
Alison Strauss Director of HippFest/Arts Development Officer (Film and Media), Falkirk Community Trust said:
“ Filibus (1915) with live accompaniment was previewed back in March, on the eve of lockdown, at a community event in the heart of Bo’ness, kicking off the programme for our milestone 10th edition. We had all been so looking forward to sharing this terrific and little-known film with the wider audience, later in that week, but of course this was not to be. So we couldn’t be more pleased to receive this accolade from Silent London, or be more proud of musician Jane Gardner, or be more grateful to the legions of fans who voted for us in the poll.”
Nicola Kettlewood, Film Hub Scotland Manager said:
“It’s fantastic that the Filibus screening, which was a small glimpse of HippFest 2020, has been recognised in the Silent London Poll. We are delighted that Film Hub Scotland could support this joyous community screening and we look forward to HippFest online this March.”
Musician Jane Gardner, added:
“I’m delighted with this award, it was such a memorable evening for everyone involved, not just because we were all worried about the pandemic but also because it was such a lovely atmosphere at the Barony. Particularly when everyone joined in and made the sound of an airship when Filibus was fleeing from the scene of her crime. I really hope to have the opportunity to accompany more silent films at HippFest in the future.”
Dennis Doros, President of the Association of Moving Image Archivists and Co-Director of Milestone Film said:
"HippFest is an important international event where fans of silent films from around the world congregate to have a good time and share their love for this incredible art form where cinema and live music interacts. It is also an invaluable cultural treasure for the community it serves. We are very proud that this amazing presentation of FILIBUS got the attention it, and HippFest, deserves."
The Silent London Awards are an international poll where the public and industry can nominate their favourite films, venues and festivals each year. This year the poll was split into 14 different categories.
The 10th HippFest goes online this year and will run from 17-21 March 2021. Full programme announced on 16 February 2021.
Full details of the Silent London Awards can be found here https://silentlondon.co.uk/2021/01/26/the-silent-london-poll-of-2020-and-the-winners-are/
The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival is organised by Falkirk Community Trust with key funding and support from Falkirk Council, Screen Scotland, Film Hub Scotland (BFI Film Audience Network).
