The tenth festival celebrating silent film and music, Hippfest, has announced it will be online from 17 – 21 March in the UK, Europe and North America. Usually housed in Scotland’s oldest purpose-built cinema, The Hippodrome in Bo’ness, the programme is as varied as ever, featuring fan favourites and lesser-known classics from the silent era, and thanks to the new online format, audiences can enjoy music from across the globe. As in previous years, the women of Hollywood are front and centre with Marlene Dietrich, Louise Brooks and Mary Pickford all featuring in a star-studded programme, which can be found on the festival;’s website.

With 2020’s outing cancelled at the eleventh hour, the new festival is a milestone for the organisers, who have expressed appreciation for those who have supported the festival with its occasional online events. With this year’s virtual event, the potential audience is infinite, and it is is planned to be ‘distinctive, eye-opening and enjoyable’, with screenings with music, workshops, events and activities reaching an at-home audience at home.