It’s
been a decade since Shangri-La Plaza began featuring the annual International
Silent Film Festival Manila, the first
of its kind in South East Asia. For those who haven’t had the chance to try it,
it is an amazing experience on itself. As its 10th year coincides
with the Shang’s 25th year anniversary, they will be hosting another
series of 24 silent movie screenings, accompanied by live musical performances.
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| Austria |
This
year, the Philippine-Italian Association, the Japan Foundation Manila,
Goethe-Institut Philippinen, the Film Development Council of the Philippines,
Instituto Cervantes, the British Council, and the Embassies of the United
States of America, France and Austria, come together to present ten films from
nine different countries on August 25 to
28 at the Shang Cineplex. For
this milestone, lectures and a round table discussion on
Silent Cinema, along with an exhibit on the festival will be added to
enrich the celebrations.
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| Japan |
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| USA |
Kicking
things off is an exhibit illustrating the 10-year journey of the unique
festival. The exhibit, to open on August
16 at the Grand Atrium, was
curated by Filipina photographer and visual and graphic artist Nikkorlai Tapan.
Viewers can immerse in the art and history of the movie industry’s golden era
with a live movie set, an interactive photo wall that lets you create your own
personal movie poster, live drawings by visual artists interpreting 10 years of
rocking silence, and a trivia game experience by the interactive story tellers
of Manila Who (known for their story driven walks of Escolta Street in Manila).
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| Lobato |
The
festival opens on August 25 with a
film from the UK, Play On! Silent Shakespeare at 7:30pm. The new compilation of
silent Shakespeare shorts includes the world’s earliest surviving Shakespeare
adaptation, King John, and an early version of Hamlet. The film will be scored
with the stylings of Tago Jazz
Collective. Our country’s very own Maicling Maicling Pelicula nang Ysang Indio
Nacional, set in the Spanish-ruled 1890s Philippines, will be shown
along with the sounds of indie rock band, Oh!
Flamingo, on August 26, 5:30pm.
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| Makiling |
Italy
is presenting Maciste All’Inferno, a story that takes place in hell. The film
will be introduced with a lecture by film expert Nick Deocampo, and will be accompanied
by music from iconic Filipino musician, Ely
Buendia (August 26, 8pm). Popular
Spanish zarzuela, La Revoltosa, is an unlikely story of two lovers set to its
original musical score to be performed by the DingDong Fiel Music Ensemble and tenor Miguel Ángel Lobato (August 27, 3pm). Japan’s
Muteki
is a tragic story of forbidden love, scored by the Makiling Band (August 27, 5:30pm).
American
movie, For Heaven’s Sake is an action, comedy, and romance about a
wealthy man falling for a girl the opposite of him. The film, showing on August 27, 8pm, will be scored by the
10-piece genre-bending band Brass Pas
Pas Pas Pas, composed of members from the country’s finest musical acts.
France enters the festival with two films screening on August 28, 3pm, Le Pied de Mouton and Le
Petit Soucet, with music composed
and arranged by Felipe A. Latonio, Jr.
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| Basti Artadi |
Following
the French film is Austria’s Der Balletterzherzog, 5:30pm, a love triangle story between
an arch-duke, a count, and a young ballerina, and will be accompanied by
multiple award-winning vocalist of the Philippine rock band Wolfgang, Basti Artadi. Finally, the German film,
Der
letzte Mann, considered by many as the legendary F.W. Murnau’s most important
work and one of the most revolutionary works in film history will cap off this
musical film fete on August 28, 8pm,
to be scored by internationally-recognized local band, Up Dharma Down.
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| Dingdong Fiel |
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| Oh Flamingo |
All
screenings will be open to the public on a first come, first served basis. Head
to Shang for an in-depth appreciation of cinema.
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