In July, the Niles Essanay Film Museum takes a step back into the Wild West to celebrate Broncho Billy. This year’s festival will run July 25 to 27, with screenings and book signings at the vintage Edison theater and museum, and around downtown Niles. Highlights include a newly rediscovered Reginald Denny feature, lectures on silent film star Mary Pickford, restorations from the American Biograph Studio, a workshop on film preservation and more.
Friday night starts the weekend with a screening of the 1926 film, Rolling Home, with an introduction by film historian Marc Wanamaker. In the story, a young man is fired from his job and returns to his hometown in a “borrowed” limousine, posing as a millionaire. The film was thought lost until a 16mm print was discovered in possession of private collector Michael Aus. With help from Packart Humanities and Stanford Theatre the print was restored and converted into a 35mm version.
On Saturday, the fun starts early with the Niles Farmers Market and continues with a 10am presentation from author Mary Mallory, “First Women of Hollywood: Female Pioneers in the Early Motion Picture Business.” Mallory will talk about influential women of the early moving picture industry, who were written out of history as the studio system took hold.
At 11am, there are two events to choose from: A walking tour of downtown Niles (wear walking shoes and meet at the museum) or a screening at Edison Theater of the 1964 documentary, When the Movies Came from Niles. Written and produced by Ray Hubbard, the documentary contains scenes from silent films produced at the studio from 1912 to 1916 and recollections of life on the studio lot.
Saturday will continue with a screening of Niles Essanay film shorts at 1pm, Mary Pickford documentary at 3:15pm, and film screening at 7:30pm of My Best Girl (1927) produced by and starring Mary Pickford. In the story, a department store stock girl falls in love with her engaged coworker.
On Sunday, morning presentations include a newly-released book, The Reel Thrilling Events of Bank Robber Henry Starr, From Gentleman Bandit to Movie Star and Back Again by Mark Archuleta; and “Deconstructing Broncho Billy,” a conversation with Marc Wanamaker. The 12:30pm presentation takes on film preservation in the internet age.
Sunday afternoon explores silent film oddities, starting at 2:30pm, a collection of weird, oddball or seldom-seen films. They include a road trip, avant-garde crime drama and a literal dream put to film.
At 4pm, the weekend wraps up with a selection of films from the Biograph Project, a project from the Film Preservation Society to preserve nearly 500 films directed by D. W. Griffith between 1908 and 1913. Society founder and author Tracey Goessel will introduce the program.
Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival
Friday, July 25 – Sunday, July 27
Various times
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum
37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont
Some presentations are free; others have a $10 admission fee
