Opening today at the newly renovated Manila Metropolitan Theater — Manila’s architectural Art Deco gem built in the midst of the Philippine “Silent era” – is the 15th edition of the International Silent Film Festival Manila.
Running until Dec. 03, the fest is presented by the Japan Foundation, Manila, the Embassy of Italy with the Philippine Italian Association, the Instituto Cervantes, the British Council in the Philippines, the Goethe-Institut, the Embassy of France, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
In this year’s edition, the festival features six classic silent films from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and nine short films especially produced by the FDCP to represent the Philippines, all accompanied by original musical scores from local bands and musicians.
The program is screened online via the FDCP Channel https://fdcpchannel.ph/isffm2021.
The invitational opening ceremony, hosted by the Japan Foundation, Manila will be followed by the screening of Orochi (Serpent), a 1925 action film by Futagawa BuntarÅ. It will be live scored by Munimuni band.
This is cine-concert in pre-COVID style in-person but in keeping with the health restrictions in force. With the exception of the opening day, the program of this 15th edition of the International Silent Film Festival Manila that includes screenings and international round table webinars will be entirely accessible online from tomorrow until Dec. 3.
Loyal to the very essence of the festival, all silent films will be scored with original music exclusively composed and performed by local bands and musicians.
Dec. 1 to 3 will be dedicated to the screening of the nine short films produced with the very first edition of FDCP’s Mit Out Sound International Silent Film Competition. Nine Filipino filmmakers worked with nine film composers to produce nine short silent films that represents the Philippines in this year’s ISFFM.
The Festival will culminate with a closing night of the ISSFM2021, and the awarding ceremony for the best productions of Mit Out Sound.
For more information on the schedule, and list of films to be exhibit, and for other inquiries, visit the festival’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/InternationalSilentFilmFestivalManila