Meet the HippFest Team

HippFest relies on the talent, specialisms and enthusiasm of a small team of dedicated HippFest freelancers and Council employees. This includes the Box Office team, Venues team, Catering teams and the Technical teams, and below you can read more about the HippFest core team.

For any press and media enquiries, please contact Hannah Bradley Croall.

Alison Strauss

Alison Strauss (she/her) is the Founding Director of HippFest and works as Falkirk Council’s Arts Development Officer (Film and Media), programming the Hippodrome year-round. Alison is the ‘face of the Festival’ and leads on the artistic programme, commissioning, funding, research and development, and touring.  Alison studied English at York University and has an MA in ‘Film Archiving and British Film’ from the University of East Anglia.  She worked at the British Film Institute National Archive for seven years, identifying and supplying material for UK cinemas, researchers, academics, donors and rights holders, and went on to work in Arts Development for four successive local authorities in England and Scotland, specialising in Creative Industries, Voluntary Arts and Film.  When she’s not watching films at the Hippodrome, she’s likely to be up a mountain, walking the dogs, or planning what to make for dinner.

The silent film star Alison would cast as herself is Nell Shipman – “an independent and spirited multi-tasker who loved the great outdoors”.

 

Nell Cardozo

Nell Cardozo (she/they) is HippFest's Development and Engagement Officer, working to build and manage relationships with stakeholders, funders, and community partners. In her role she is interested in encouraging community voices into the Festival programming, and connecting with the diverse groups that make a home in Bo'ness. She is responsible for the engagement programme and supports the Director with fundraising for the Festival. Nell is a freelance curator, writer, producer, and creative project manager based in Glasgow. Currently, she is also the Curatorial Director at 16NSt, an itinerant gallery and curatorial collective dedicated to the enjoyment of experimental contemporary art. Nell has an MA in English Literature and an MSc in Museum Studies from Glasgow University, where her thesis focused on investigating accessibility in online databases. Her current hobbies are researching riverside cities, and updating both her letterboxd diary and her map of Glasgow's best falafel places. 

The silent film star Nell would cast to play herself is Lois Moran –  “As an English Literature graduate I couldn’t pass over the opportunity for this F. Scott Fitzgerald crossover!”

 

Christina Webber 

Christina Webber (she/her) is HippFest’s Digital Content Manager, working to develop the Festival’s year-round digital outputs, social media channels, and live-streamed programme. For Christina, digital spaces offer an opportunity to broaden the audiences for silent film, increase Festival accessibility, and promote international discovery and collaboration. Christina works with a variety of creative clients in a Digital Communications capacity and when not behind a screen, is an internationally exhibited Visual Artist and Director of AGITATE: a grassroots hub for photography based in Edinburgh’s West End. She is passionate that the creative industries should be more reflective of the breadth of people making work and about providing accessible and affordable opportunities wherever possible. She has a First Class BA (Hons) in Photography & Film, from Edinburgh Napier University. Christina is guilty of often knowing people by their social media handles and not until months later, by their full names.

The silent film star Christina would cast to play herself is Ernest Torrence –  “Tall with a strong chin, and I named my horse on Zelda after him after watching Steamboat Bill Jr!"

 

Hannah Bradley Croall 

Hannah Bradley Croall (she/her) is HippFest’s PR Manager and works with the media in promoting the festival. She joined the team in 2020, but due to the pandemic didn’t have the opportunity to attend the Hippodrome in person until 2022! Hannah came to PR after watching too much ‘Mad Men’ at university and now works as a freelance publicist promoting the arts and cultural events around Scotland, opting for the red carpet over Madison Avenue.

The silent film star Hannah would cast to play herself is Asta Nielsen - "known for playing strong-willed women with an understated performance style.  That and the deep voice!"

 

Jessica McGoff 

Jessie (she/her) is HippFest's Marketing Officer. They work primarily with Take Me Somewhere, a performance festival based in Glasgow. They've worked with organisations such as CCA, Bloody Scotland, Glasgow Short Film Festival and Creative Glasgow. Jessie is also an independent video essayist and film writer - with work commissioned by the BFI, MUBI, and Arbelos Films, and screened at venues including the Museum of the Moving Image, New York. They have spoken at international festivals and universities, and regularly mentor emerging film critics through the European Network of Discourse programme. When not watching films (mostly short or silent!) they'll be found rummaging through antique sales for yet another little trinket.

The silent film star Jessie would cast to play herself is Musidora - "because I'll always be a goth at heart."

 

Kirsty Somerville

Kirsty Somerville (she/her) is the HippFest Producer and is responsible for the smooth delivery of all our festival events, from managing schedules, liaising with venues, hosting invited guests and leading brilliant volunteer team. Outside of the festival, Kirsty is a freelance Producer and Programmer, working across multiple art forms in Scotland, supporting artists to make their best work, and creating welcoming spaces for audiences to experience it. Alongside HippFest she works with Catherine Wheels Theatre Company, the Brunton Theatre Trust and a range of independent artists and has previously held roles with East Lothian Council Arts Service, Dance Base and Take One Action Film Festival. When not in a cinema or theatre Kirsty is usually cooking up some new recipes, touring Edinburgh's bakeries, or trying to muster up the courage to swim in the chilly Scottish sea.

The silent film star Kirsty would cast as herself is Louise Brooks – “as a dance lover, Brooks is a star"

Jonny Walker

Jonny Walker (he/him) is HippFest’s Outreach and Engagement Coordinator. In this role, he is developing the engagement programme and building and managing relationships with community groups and local businesses. He is keen to connect with the diverse range of people and groups in Bo’ness and to celebrate the area’s unique heritage and culture. Although Jonny lives in Glasgow, he knows Bo’ness well, as his grandparents have lived here for over 50 years.

Jonny is a freelance artist and project manager based in Glasgow. He has exhibited work at Glasgow International, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Edinburgh Art Festival, and V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media, and has taken part in residencies at Scottish Sculpture Workshop and Hospitalfield. Outside the arts, Jonny works as a project manager across employability and the third sector. He is interested in enabling opportunity and increasing access, especially within small communities.

The silent film star Jonny would cast to play himself is Ivor Novello — ‘I could only hope to be so effortlessly stylish!’