The sixth annual “Newhallywood” silent film festival brought the excitement and joy of going to the theaters – even without the sound on Sunday afternoon at the Newhall Family Theatre.
E.J. Stephens, co-founder of the festival, said there was no better place than Santa Clarita to host the film festival because of the history of movies that were made here.
“I mean, we’re not taking anybody’s history. It’s all right here. And the really great thing is we have the facilities here. We have a great place to expand as we grow this, this film festival, and, yeah, I just really want to see it become a destination for silent film fans around the world,” Stephens said.
The film that was being shown during the 1 p.m. slot was “The Adventures of Prince Achmed,” the first feature-length animation film from 1926.
Stephens said silent films can be immersive and make a person pay attention and follow the story.
When asked what about silent films makes him feel so alive, Stephens simply said that he loves film.
“I love film. I love history. I love the history of Hollywood, and, you know, it’s all inter-woven. You can’t separate any of these things. I think what really got me into silent film originally was Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, which … they were funny 100 years ago. They’ll be funny a thousand years from now,” Stephens said.
Darianne Galden and Jon Stone, a couple who attended, said it was their second year coming and that they enjoy the festival.
Galden said that she has been an avid film lover, especially anything from 1954 and earlier. Stone said old films are intriguing.
“It’s film history. It’s the origins of film. And, I am a film student, and that’s very intriguing to me, and to see the techniques that they used with the rudimentary technology that they had at the time. And the cleverness that they used,” Stone said.
Galden said the festival brings awareness to the community about what movies were like before they became what they are today.
“So, please, if you’re going to open your mouth about film, know what you’re speaking about. Don’t look at today and be like, ‘Oh, well, that never happened.’ No, no, no. Look back, look at what happened.”
