Returning to the Newhall Family Theatre is the Newhallywood Silent Film Festival presented by the City of Santa Clarita. The 2024 Newhallywood Silent Film Festival celebrates the film heritage of the Santa Clarita Valley and the film industry before the introduction of sound. This year’s festival honors Douglas Fairbanks S., the action movie star of his era, and Producer Thomas Ince who developed the studio system and helped launch the career of local hero William S. Hart.

The first screening of the day (beginning at 1:00 pm) will be the 2001 film The Cat’s Meow. This film is based on the semi-true story of the Hollywood murder that occurred at a star-studded gathering aboard William Randolph Hearst’s yacht in 1924.

We return to the silent era for two William S. Hart western shorts from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The Festival closes at the Newhall Family Theatre with Ince’s Civilization at 8:00 pm. This film was released in 1916 and tells the story involving a submarine commander who refuses to fire at a civilian ocean liner supposedly carrying ammunition for his country’s enemies.

**Important note regarding parking: street parking is very limited. The Old Town Newhall Library parking lot, as well as the structure across the street, are located within short walking distance of the Newhall Family Theatre for the Performing Arts.**