THIS year marks the 10th anniversary of a unique event, the International Silent Film Festival, the first of its kind in Asia, in partnership with the Shangri-La Plaza from its inception, which, in turn, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The Philippine Italian Association, Japan Foundation Manila, Goethe-Institut Philippinen, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes, British Council, and the embassies of the United States, France, and Austria come together to present 10 films, which will be shown until August 28.
The International Silent Film Festival in Manila was born out of the initiative of Goethe Institute under the directorship of Richard Künzel. The first edition featured entries from Germany, Spain and Japan.
On its second year, Italy joined the founding members and was enthusiastically followed by other countries, such as France, the US, the Philippines and Austria.
Today, it is a nine-member strong festival that attracts viewers for its originality, given by the fact that every single movie showing is accompanied by a live performance by local artists, at times in collaboration with guest artists and composers from abroad.
The organizers have decided to beef up this year’s edition by tapping film experts Hidenori Okada, curator of the National Film Center. He was Japan Foundation Manila’s consultant for the selection of the Japanese entries for the past four years.
Hidenori will join a roundtable discussion on the silent era along with Prof. Nick de Ocampo, an authority on both local and Italian classic cinema on August 27 at the Grand Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza.
Moviegoers will also be treated to an interactive exhibit that chronicles the festival’s 10-year journey, which curator Nikkorlai Tapan envisioned as an immersion in the golden era of cinema.
In the exhibit, movie patrons can walk into a live movie set and experience being either an actor or a director. Trivia games and live drawings by Manila Who and Glitch Glitch, respectively, will give a different twist to the exhibit in order to introduce the festival to the younger set.
As the latest country to join the festival, the United Kingdom (UK) will hold the distinction of opening the festival on August 25. It is a happy occurrence, as this year happens to be the 400th death anniversary of Shakespeare.
The UK will screen the film Play On! Silent Shakespeare is a compilation of silent era adaptations from 1899 to 1922. Tago Jazz Collective will provide a distinct counterpoint to the classic Shakespearean body of work. The compilation features the earliest surviving adaptation of King John from 1899.
On August 26 the Philippines will show Maicling Pelicula nang Ysang Indio National, a movie that chronicles the interior struggle of an adolescent during the late Spanish colonial era. It will be scored by Oh, Flamingo!
The Philippine screening will be followed by the Italian entry of Maciste all’Inferno that features the recurring character of strong man Maciste, a beloved character interpreted by Bartolomeo Pagano, who appeared in a total of 26 movies. The movie, an irreverent take on the eternal fight between good and evil, will be scored by Ely Buendia and expertly introduced and contextualized by de Ocampo.
La Revoltosa, a 1924 adaptation of a popular zarzuela, will be shown on August 27, complemented by a performance of DingDong Fiel Music Ensemble and tenor Miguel Angel Lobato. Incidentally, the film was shown in the Philippines soon after its successful run in Spain, as it was a widely popular form of entertainment in both countries.
Japan’s tale of love and jealousy set in the late 19th century, Muteki, will follow La Revoltosa and will be set to the music of the Makiling Band. Hidenori Okada will provide the historical setting and background before the actual showing.
The US will end by presenting For Heaven’s Sake, an action, comedy and romance about a man falling in love with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. The movie will be accompanied by a 10-piece genre-bending band Brass Pas Pas Pas Pas.
On the festival’s last day, France’s Le Pied de Mouton and Le Petit Soucet, two shorts that showcase early pioneering animation in cinema, with an original score composed by Felipe A. Latonio Jr. Austria, will be shown.
It will be followed by Der Balletterzherzog, a love triangle against the luxurious backdrop of Austrian Palaces and the Vienna Opera House. The movie will be accompanied by music from rock star Basti Artadi.
Closing the festival is Germany with Der Ietzte Mann, directed by F.W. Murnau. To be scored by Up Dharma Down, the movie was groundbreaking as it was filmed with moving cameras for the first time.
All screenings will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Image credits: Cristina Morricca