Returning to the Newhall Family Theatre is the Newhallywood Silent Film Festival presented by the City of Santa Clarita. The 2025 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 Lon Chaney, the man of 1000 faces, and Director/Writer/Editor/Film Theorist Sergei Eisenstein.

At 1:00 pm, the Festival begins with the documentary Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces by Kevin Brownlow. Renowned for his various characterizations and celebrated for his horror films, this documentary explores how his deaf mute parents, and his own long-delayed ability to talk, helped him develop his expressive face and hand gestures utilized by his many film roles. (Running time is 85 minutes)

At 4:00 pm, will be a screening of Universal Pictures’ most successful silent film: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The classic Victor Hugo story is set in 15th-century Paris, the brother of the archdeacon plots with the gypsy king to foment a peasant revolt. Meanwhile, a freakish hunchback falls in love with a gypsy dancer. This film helped elevate Chaney from well-known character actor, to full star status in Hollywood. (Running time is 133 minutes)

Closing out the night, at 8:00 pm, will be the induction ceremony of Lon Chaney into the Newhallywood Hall of Fame and feature a screening of the iconic The Phantom of the Opera. Celebrating it’s 100th Anniversary, this adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s novel shows a mad, disfigured composer that seeks love with a young opera singer. This is one of the classic horror films from the silent era and was added to the United States National Film Registry in 1998. (Running time is 83 minutes)

**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.**