A more concert-like experience is in store for the 13th International Silent Film Festival this August 30-September 1, 2019 as it makes the move to a much bigger venue which is the Samsung Hall at the SM Aura Premier in BGC, Taguig.
By now after twelve years, everybody knows the drill with the ISFF: films from the silent era (with some exceptions along the way) from different countries are shown each with accompanied by a music act providing a live score. Each screening, which has always been for free, is done only once guaranteeing a unique film viewing experience for those lucky enough to secure a seat.
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| The organizers and musicians of the 13th International Silent Film Festival |
For this edition, a total of six countries, namely Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Philippines, and Spain are participating. This year's festival, still known as the only one of its kind in Asia, will also feature a lecture by Nick Deocampo. Additionally, the opening night will also be part of the celebrations for the 100 Years of Philippine Cinema.
Kicking off the festival on August 30, 2019 is the screening of Native Life in the Philippines, a 1913 documentary film by Dean Worcester about the Kalingas. Providing the live score is the indie band Munimuni. The opening night and film screening is presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
On the next day August 31, 2019, author and film historian Nick Decoampo will have a lecture on The Beginnings of Cinema in Asia touching upon topics like the arrival of cinema in the region and how the locals reacted to it. He will give emphasis on the Philippines and how the Spanish and American colonial culture shaped local cinema.
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| Munimuni |
Kicking off the festival on August 30, 2019 is the screening of Native Life in the Philippines, a 1913 documentary film by Dean Worcester about the Kalingas. Providing the live score is the indie band Munimuni. The opening night and film screening is presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
On the next day August 31, 2019, author and film historian Nick Decoampo will have a lecture on The Beginnings of Cinema in Asia touching upon topics like the arrival of cinema in the region and how the locals reacted to it. He will give emphasis on the Philippines and how the Spanish and American colonial culture shaped local cinema.
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| Kaduma ni Karol |
Following the lecture is the screening of the Japanese film Orizuru Osen (The Downfall of Osen) by the Japan Foundation, Manila. This 1935 movie directed by Kenji Mizoguchi will be accompanied by Kaduma ni Karol, a band from Mindanao led by the Queen of chants, Karol Bello.
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| Tarsius |
Instituto Cervantes' presents the Spanish film Es mi hombre (He's My Man) with Manila based duo Tarsius scoring the film. The 1927 film by Carlos Fernández Cuenca is about Don Antonio, a down on his luck man trying to fend for his daughter Leonor. Tarsius, made up of Diego Mapa and Jay Gapasin, were participants of Instituto Cervantes's Posporos music project back in 2016.
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| Saxophonist Stef&no |
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| Stef&no |
For Italy's offering, the Philippine-Italian Association will present L'onestà del peccato (The Wife He Neglected), a 1918 film by Italian film pioneer Augusto Genina. Philippine based Italian saxophonist Stef&no, along with a handful of local musicians making up a Pocket Orchestra, will provide live music accompaniment for this film.
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| Anima Tierra |
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| Anima Tierra |
On September 1, the Goethe Institut screens Von Morgen bis Mitternachts, a film from 1920 by Karlheinz Martin. The band Anima Tierra will provide the live score infused with the ensemble's world music sound.
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| Tanya Markova |
Lastly, the Embassy of Austria presents the all-ages, family friendly offering Kalif Storch to close out the festival. The 1924 film by Hans Berger and Ladislaus Tuszynski featuring exotic locales, extravagant costumes, and a quirky plot, will have the visually stimulating Tanya Markova providing live music accompaniment.
Speaking of the new venue this year, the Samsung Hall at SM Aura Premier will have around 200 more seats compared to the last year's SM Megamall Cinema. This is roughly around a 50% increase in seating capacity from last year. The Samsung Hall, a flexible space that can easily configured to suit various setups, isn't typically a venue for film screenings.
I remember that back in October, Call Me By Your Name that was accompanied by the Manila Symphony Orchestra was held at the Samsung Hall, probably the most similar event to the ISFF held at the venue so far. Viewers who were at the event were letdown by the use of LED screens instead of the usual movie projectors that is typically expected when watching a movie inside the cinemas. But I was told that the 13th Silent Film Festival will not be going that route and will be projecting the movie at a screen instead. It will be definitely odd if LED screens will be used which is not in line with how films were shown back then.
Here is the schedule for the 13th International Silent Film Festival, at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura, Premier.
August 30, 2019
8:30 PM Native Life in the Philippines w/ Munimuni (Philippines)
August 31, 2019
1:00 PM The Beginnings of Cinema in Asia by Nick Deocampo (Lecture)
3:00 PM Orizusu Osen with Kaduma ni Karol (Japan)
5:30 PM Es mi hombre with Tarsius (Spain)
8:30 PM L'onestà del peccato with Stef&no and Pocket Orchestra (Italy)
September 1, 2019
4:00 PM Von Morgen bis Mitternachts with Anima Tierra (Germany)
7:30 PM Kalif Storch with Tanya Markova (Austria)
I remember that back in October, Call Me By Your Name that was accompanied by the Manila Symphony Orchestra was held at the Samsung Hall, probably the most similar event to the ISFF held at the venue so far. Viewers who were at the event were letdown by the use of LED screens instead of the usual movie projectors that is typically expected when watching a movie inside the cinemas. But I was told that the 13th Silent Film Festival will not be going that route and will be projecting the movie at a screen instead. It will be definitely odd if LED screens will be used which is not in line with how films were shown back then.
Here is the schedule for the 13th International Silent Film Festival, at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura, Premier.
August 30, 2019
8:30 PM Native Life in the Philippines w/ Munimuni (Philippines)
August 31, 2019
1:00 PM The Beginnings of Cinema in Asia by Nick Deocampo (Lecture)
3:00 PM Orizusu Osen with Kaduma ni Karol (Japan)
5:30 PM Es mi hombre with Tarsius (Spain)
8:30 PM L'onestà del peccato with Stef&no and Pocket Orchestra (Italy)
September 1, 2019
4:00 PM Von Morgen bis Mitternachts with Anima Tierra (Germany)
7:30 PM Kalif Storch with Tanya Markova (Austria)
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