The Theatre of Live Pictures will start again and International Silent Film Festival will get right surroundings

In the year 1906 two men, artist Albert Lindfors and Mr. Karl Meyer decided to start a "The Theatre of Live Pictures " in Forssa town. The cinema was the first countryside cinema in Finland. In beginning the program consisted of European landscape films, French, German and English Films. In the year 1911 very popular were Danish Films of Long & Short. The Cinema closed down in 1930. It took almost 70 years until a group of film freaks started to wake up the conservation of the old cinema building. Lounais-Hämeen Kotiseutu- ja Museoyhdistys (The Home District and Museum Association of Southwest Häme) started to work for the restoration. Private persons and commercial enterprises have bought their "own favourite seats" from the auditorium and support has been given by different organisations for the rescue of The Theatre of Living Pictures. Also the Forssa Town, the environmental authorities and The Finnish Film Foundation help to save the building.

Today the heart of the Silent Film Festival will be the "The Theatre of Live Pictures ". In addition to this cinema there will be screenings in four other cinemas. The Festival organisation co-operates with the Finnish Film Archive, several Film Institutes, associations and enterprises in Europe.

We hope you will find your way to Forssa Town and enjoy the weekend with famous silent films.You will find on the pages more information about the Festival. The pages will be updated as more information turns up.

The 2nd Forssa Silent Film Festival