The first tickets have been released for Scotland’s only festival celebrating silent film and live music. HippFest, which takes its name from its home at the Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness, will return for its landmark 15th edition, Wednesday 19 - Sunday 23 March 2025.
Although the full programme won’t be announced until the New Year, regular “Hipponauts” and cinema aficionados can grant themselves exclusive access with the five-day HippFest Festival Pass or the newly introduced Weekend Festival Pass to make the most of the festival. Pass holders will be granted priority booking for events with no booking fees (exclusions apply), plus automatic registration for all HippFest at Home presentations which take place online in the run up to the Festival.
The two-day HippFest Weekend Pass starts at £63 for the under-30s or £99 full price, for a total of 18 online and in-person events . The full five-day HippFest Festival Pass costs £143 for access to 26 events online and in-person across the Festival.. Other benefits include a discount off purchases at the Hippodrome Café and Bar, and much more during the Festival dates, Wednesday 19 - Sunday 23 March 2025.
Launched in 2011, HippFest is looking forward to its 15th edition in 2025. The Festival has become a fixture in Scotland’s cultural calendar and is recognised globally for its contribution to the appreciation of silent film.
Regular programme features include New Found Sound, showcasing the talent of local young musicians alongside films from the National Library of Scotland’s Moving Image Archive; a family-friendly Jeely Jar Screening, featuring some of cinema’s comedy greats; and HippFest’s glittering Friday Night Gala where dressing for the theme of the film or the era is most definitely encouraged.
HippFest also regularly teams up with Scottish musicians and artists to commission new work in the realm of silent cinema. Recent collaborations include The Rugged Island: A Shetland Lyric (HippFest 2024), with score composed by multi-instrumentalist and composer from Fair Isle: Inge Thomson, performing with Shetland-born fiddler player Catriona Macdonald. And from HippFest 2022, Marion Kenny, one of Scotland’s leading storytellers, performed with award-winning musician, singer and songwriter Mairi Campbell for Journey to the Isles: Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, a mesmerising glimpse into the landscapes, folktales and songs that inspired one of Scotland's great early collectors of Traditional Arts.
Although full details won’t be released until February, HippFest has been working on a project with multi-media artist Moira Salt for its milestone 15th programme.
Looking forward to HippFest’s special 15th edition, Festival Director Alison Strauss said: “This year’s HippFest feels like a crowning moment for us as we have harnessed all our learning from the last fifteen years to create a truly memorable festival. The programme will be a proper treasure trove, featuring musicians old and new, commissions, premieres, rediscoveries and restorations. All this plus a full schedule of tandem events and activities in and around the town. Bo’ness will be buzzing and we can’t wait to welcome everyone!”
HippFest 2025 will take place Wednesday 19 - Sunday 23 March 2025 with a community event held in the town on Saturday 15 March 2025. HippFest Festival Passes are available to buy now, with further tickets and full programme details to be announced on 4 February 2025. Festival passes are subject to availability and purchasing early is recommended to avoid disappointment.
For further information on HippFest and to book your Festival Pass, visit the HippFest website.
The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival is a project of Falkirk Council, supported by Film Hub Scotland part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.
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Image credit: Kat Gollock