The Kansas Silent Film Festival returns to Topeka and Washburn’s campus this weekend, Feb. 24 through Feb. 26, 2022, featuring renowned Disney historian J.B. Kaufman.

Moviegoers can take an authentic step back in time to see what going to the movies was like 100 years ago. They can even watch a historic live-action adaptation of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”-the story’s first ever film incarnation- in an actual church while an organist accompanies live. This year’s event is packed with 25 films in honor of the festival’s 25th year.

In fact, all screenings of the silent films, which are naturally subtitled, will be musically accompanied by esteemed musicians of the genre, including occasional sound effects.

Former KTWU producer Bill Shaffer helps organize KSFF.

“We have musicians who’ve been invited in the past, like Ben Model and the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra,” Shaffer said. “We want to make sure many of our friends come back.”

The sessions will include multiple shorts followed by a feature- just like it would have been in the 1920s.

According to an advance program courtesy of KSFF, there will be scheduled breaks and intermissions throughout the Festival. These can be viewed alongside a full itinerary at www.kssilentfilmfest.org by clicking on the graphic of this year’s festival.

Thursday’s events are all at the Jayhawk Theater and cost $10 to enter. Pre-buying tickets guarantees a seat at the historic Jayhawk Theater downtown. There are currently seats available and they can be bought at the door if any remain by start time.

Friday is partly at Grace Cathedral and partly at White Concert Hall, where, the festival’s final day, Saturday, plays from morning to night.

At 5:30 p.m. across the street in the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center, Kaufman will speak on Disney film history and more during a banquet where meals are provided. The cost per ticket is $40.

There is something for everybody- cinephiles, curious creatives, theater-goers, historians, cartoon fans and music lovers alike- at the KSFF. People have the opportunity to see how Hollywood utilized editing tricks with low technology, which even users of TikTok might find intriguing.

The festival opens with “Her First Biscuits” and an introduction by longtime film historian and KSFF presenter Denise Morrison.

“It’s a very funny, very clever short film about a wife who basically makes her first batch of biscuits. The husband eats one and realizes that they’re absolutely terrible, but he acts as if they’re all fine and everything. He takes them to work and everybody who eats them becomes sick after that,” Shaffer said. “The amazing thing about it is that it was made in 1909, and the quality is so good on this particular film that it looks like it was shot yesterday.”

Edited by: Katrina Johnson, Justin Shepard