CELEBRATE THE LEGACIES OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND CECIL B. DEMILLE
AT THE NEWHALLYWOOD SILENT FILM FESTIVAL
Exploration of Silent Film Era Returns Memorial Day Weekend
Hearken back to the early days of the silent film area and rediscover some of the most famous movies ever made at the 2023 Newhallywood Silent Film Festival, scheduled for May 26 to 29 at venues in Old Town Newhall. The City of Santa Clarita is proud to give residents a unique opportunity to experience some of the entertainment industry’s defining productions.
In addition to screening some of the most famous silent films made in the Santa Clarita Valley, the Newhallywood Silent Film Festival will also celebrate the centennial anniversaries of three timeless motion pictures, as well as the careers of pioneers Charlie Chaplin and Cecil B. DeMille. The festival begins on May 26 with four days of free film screenings in Newhall and a special ticketed tour experience on Memorial Day.
On Friday, May 26, the festival kicks off at 8:00 p.m. with the first of three films hitting the 100-year mark – “The Pilgrim” – at 8:00 p.m. at the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts. It will be shown as part of a double feature with another Chaplin classic, “The Adventurer” (1917). “The Pilgrim” features a scene shot at the Saugus Train Station. The evening will conclude at The MAIN with a showing of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1923), which also celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, at 11:00 p.m. as part of the festival’s “Silent Screams” program that celebrates achievements in the horror genre.
A full day of programming on Saturday, May 27, begins at 1:00 p.m. with screenings of Chaplin’s “Kid Auto Races” (1914) and “The Kid” (1921) followed by Chaplin’s “The Gold Rush” (1925) at 4:00 p.m. At 8:00 p.m., Cecil B. DeMille will be inducted into the Newhallywood Hall of Fame and attendees can enjoy a screening of “The Ten Commandments” (1923), which also turns 100 this year. All these screenings will be held at the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts. The day ends with the second “Silent Screams” program, featuring the classic vampire film “Nosferatu” (1922) at the MAIN at 11:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 28, will present three screenings at the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts, Chaplin’s “City Lights” (1931) at 1:00 p.m., DeMille’s “Male and Female” (1919), and concluding with Charlie Chaplin being formally inducted into the Newhallywood Hall of Fame followed by a screening of “Modern Times” (1936).
Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, features “Bustour” Keaton from 1:00 p.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m. Ticketholders will experience a one-of-a-kind tour of important sites in the history of film, including locations in Hollywood such as Sennett Studios, Edendale, Chaplin Studios, Hollywood Forever and Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd Alley. Tickets for “Bustour” Keaton can be purchased for $45 per person.
The festival concludes with a screening of DeMille’s “The Squaw Man” (1914) at 8:00 p.m. at The MAIN (24266 Main Street) in Old Town Newhall. “The Squaw Man” is considered the first feature film made in Hollywood.
For a full schedule of events taking place during the Newhallywood Silent Film Festival, please visit NewhallywoodFilmFest.org.
