David Robinson is a film critic and author whose books include Hollywood in the Twenties and World Cinema. David is also the official Charlie Chaplin biographer. His book Chaplin: His Life and Art is widely regarded as the definitive book on the comic actor.

David is also the president of The Pordenone Silent Film Festival, which takes place in Italy every October.

"Bristol Silents is a remarkable initiative, which in little more than a year has made a national and an international impact, and is recognised as a valuable ally by such well-established archivally-based manifestations as Cinema Ritrovato of Bologna and the Giornate del Cinema Muto of Pordenone, Italy."

"The special achievement of Bristol Silents has been to demonstrate that the silent cinema is not just a quaint byway for nostalgists, but remains a vital and self-contained art, with many lessons to teach modern filmmakers, and many pleasures and surprises to stimulate contemporary audiences."