The programme for Tromsø Silent Film Days 2026
When Tromsø Silent Film Days returns from April 22–25, it does so in a new setting.
Publisert 31.03.2026 — TIFF
Following the temporary closure of Verdensteatret – Cinemateket i Tromsø due to structural damage, this year’s Silent Film Days will take place in Sal 2 at Aurora kino Fokus. The festival may have a new setting, but the level remains unchanged. In fact, this year’s programme features some of the most ambitious and diverse silent film concerts the festival has presented to date.
A grand opening
This year’s edition opens with a work that sets the tone for the entire festival: METROPOLIS (1927) by Fritz Lang, presented with a newly composed live score by Kjetil Schjander Luhr and Kristin Bolstad, performed with a full ensemble of musicians.
With trumpet, bass clarinet, theremin, live electronics, vocals, drums and keyboards, the festival opens with a rich and layered soundscape. For nearly a century, METROPOLIS has influenced both film and music – from Kraftwerk and Blade Runner to Japanese anime and Babylon Berlin. It is from these traces that the musicians draw their inspiration, bringing it all back to where it began. Read more.
Guests from Scotland
One of the defining features of this year’s programme is its international collaborations. Two screenings are presented in partnership with the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival (HippFest) in Scotland. From Edinburgh comes pianist and composer Jane Gardner, performing both solo in STEAMBOAT BILL, JR. and alongside percussionist Hazel Morrison for Alfred Hitchcock’s debut feature THE PLEASURE GARDEN.
The collaboration goes both ways. At HippFest in Scotland (March 18–22), Tromsø International Film Festival presented last year’s success FANTE ANNE / Live: Dina Konradsen. Now, the collaboration continues in Tromsø.
In THE PLEASURE GARDEN (1925/27) a melodrama unfolds, shaped by desire, jealousy and betrayal.
A strong collaboration with Insomnia Festival
Another key element of this year’s programme is the collaboration with Insomnia Festival, shaping three of the performances. Here, silent film meets Tromsø’s electronic and experimental music scene.
For the French film LE RÉVÉLATEUR, Ekkoboks, featuring guitarist Lars Dalheim (Iran Mayen), presents a new live score for Philippe Garrel’s wordless and unsettling 1968 film. In the double programme MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON and THE MAGIC CLOCK, sound artist Johanna Sandels is joined by Morskie Oko Collective from France, with Tromsø World as co-presenter. In THE SEASHELL AND THE CLERGYMAN grisha223 brings new energy to one of the earliest surrealist films in cinema history.
For both children and adults
The programme also includes something lighter and more playful. Barnefilmklubben presents WALT DISNEY’S EARLY ADVENTURES, a collection of six short films from the early years of Walt Disney’s career, accompanied by live music from Kjetil Schjander Luhr and live foley by Kristin Bolstad.
The programme opens up to younger audiences, reminding us that silent film is not only about history and artistry, but also about play, invention and pure joy.
A return and a grand finale
Another highlight is STELLA POLARIS, which returns after a sold-out premiere at Tromsø International Film Festival in January. Carl Christian Lein Størmer leads the concert together with musicians from the Nordic metal and experimental scene. The result is uncompromising and suggestive – offering a completely new way into the film.
The festival concludes with THE LOST WORLD, accompanied live by Ugress. A finale that combines cinematic pioneering spirit with raw live energy. Expect dinosaurs, volcanoes and expeditions into unknown landscapes (and soundscapes!) – in a film that laid the foundation for everything from King Kong to Jurassic Park.
A festival that continues to evolve
Tromsø Silent Film Days 2026 reflects a festival that remains strong in its identity, even as its surroundings change. It continues to be a place where film history is not only preserved, but brought to life through the meeting of musicians, artists and audiences. Sal 2 at Aurora kino Fokus is this year’s festival home, hosting four days of powerful film and music experiences.
