San Francisco Silent Film Festival

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about silent film as an art form and as a culturally valuable historical record.

Memberships

About Musicans

Live music is an integral element of every SFSFF event.

When the Castro is packed and there’s a live orchestra playing, I don’t think there’s a better film-going experience in this town.

David Thomson

About

Every San Francisco Silent Film Festival presentation is accompanied by live music by extraordinary artists from all around the world. Live music is absolutely essential to our mission to create glorious live-cinema experiences!

Below are some pictures from Festival 2026

Festival musicians

Eli Denson and SF Conservatory of Music Orchestra take a bow on opening night. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Stephen Horne. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Guenter Buchwald, Sascha Jacobsen, and Mas Koga. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Duo Yumeno. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Mas Koga and Guenter Buchwald. Photo by Pamela Gentile

Wayne Barker and Frank Bockius. Photo by Tommy Lau