Mit Out Sound competition films to debut at the 15th International Silent Film Festival

As hopes rise with the improving conditions and the lessening of restrictions, the 15th International Silent Film Festival is set to make some noise from November 24 to December 3, 2021 with online screenings via the FDCP channel.

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, the film festival features six films from the silent era coming from Japan, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, and France to be screened with new music specifically composed by some of the Philippines' buzz worthy music acts.

The Festival's opening on November 24, 2021 signals a return to normal with an on-site screening at the newly restored Metropolitan Theater. The invitational affair, hosted by the Japan Foundation Manila, will have the screening of 雄呂血 Orochi/Serpent (1925) by Futagawa Buntarō with the band Munimuni providing live music accompaniment. The rest of the screenings and related events of the festival will be available to view online via the FDCP channel starting on November 25, 2021.

This milestone 15th edition of the festival will also see the premiere of the nine films at the Mit Out Sound Silent Film Competition. Initiated by the FDCP, this section of the festival aims to entice filmmakers to create silent films replenishing the country's silent film catalog since movies dating from the silent era have already been lost forever. The winners of the competition will be announced at the closing night of the festival on December 3, 2021.

The nine films at the Mit Out Sound Silent Film Competition are as follows:

Set A

Ang Tatlong Hambog

Director: Sari Katharyn

Music Scorer: Glenn Barit

Ing Tianak

Directors: EJ Gagui, Marienel Calma

Music Scorer: Pau Protacio

Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig

Director: Vahn Leinard C. Pascual

Music Scorers: Karl Arthur Javier, Nik Rosacay

Ang Pagsuyo sa Paru-Paro ng Gabi

Director: Racquel De Guzman Morilla

Music Scorer: Dominic Laxamana

Dikit

Director: Gabriela Serrano

Music Scorer: Paulo Almaden

Set B

Ha-Ha-Hambog

Directors: Kate Torralba, Jopie Sanchez

Music Scorer: Odoni Pestelos

I Need More Than Tofu and Other Vegetables

Director: Hector Barretto Calma

Music Scorer: Jude Edgard Balsamo

Putol (The Cut)

Director: Nikolas Red

Music Scorer: Jem Talaroc

Ang Pagdadalaga Ng Dalagang Bukid

Director: Jose Carlos Soliongco

Music Scorer: CK Sabillo

Another component of the festival are the webinars namely How to Watch a Silent Film, Restoration and Reinventions in Film Archives, and History of Silent Films in the Philippines. These informative and educational webinars will feature resource persons from the Philippines and various partner countries of the festival.

Here is the online schedule of the 15th International Silent Film Festival Manila viewable at the FDCP channel.

November 25, 2021

3:00 PM

Carceleras (1922, Spain)

Director: José Buchs

Music scorer: Pordalab

Presented by: Instituto Cervantes Manila

5:00 PM

Webinar: How To Watch A Silent Movie

Panelists: Andrea Meneghelli (Italy), Carlos Valmaseda (Spain), Nanako Yamauchi (Japan), Jay Weissberg (Italy), David Fabros (Moderator)

Presented by: Instituto Cervantes Manila, Philippine Italian Association, Japan Foundation Manila

7:00 PM

Pinocchio (1911, Italy)

Director: Giulio Antamoro

Music scorer: Vidmar-Tiro-Tiro-Trio

Presented by: Philippine Italian Association

November 26, 2021

3:00 PM

Dr. Wise on Influenza (1919, United Kingdom)

Music scorer: Joee Mejias

Presented by: British Council in the Philippines

5:00 PM

Webinar: Restoration and Reinventions in Film Archives

Panelists: Leo Katigbak (Philippines), Julia Wallmüller (Germany), Institut National de l'Audiovosuel/INA (France), Ricky Orellana (Moderator)

Presented by: British Council in the Philippines, Goethe-Institut Philippinen, Embassy of France, Film Development Council of the Philippines

7:00 PM

Das Wachsfigurenkabinett/The Waxworks (1924, Germany)

Diectors: Paul Leni

Music scorer: La Crema

Presented by: Goethe-Institut Philippinen

November 27, 2021

3:00 PM

The Foreman (1921, France)

Director: George's Champavert

Music scorer: Manila Philharmonic Orchestra

Presented by: Embassy of France

5:00 PM

Webinar: History of Silent Films in the Philippines

Panelists: TBA

Presented by: Film Development Council of the Philippines

7:00 PM

雄呂血 Orochi/Serpent (1925, Japan)

Director: Futagawa Buntarō

Music scorer: Munimumi

Presented by: Japan Foundation Manila

November 28, 2021

On demand:

Das Wachsfigurenkabinett/The Waxworks (Germany)

The Foreman (France)

雄呂血 Orochi/Serpent (Japan)

Pinocchio (Italy)

Carceleras (Spain)

November 29, 2021

On demand:

The Foreman (France)

Dr. Wise on Influenza (United Kingdom)

Pinocchio (Italy)

Carceleras (Spain)

雄呂血 Orochi/Serpent (Japan)

November 30, 2021

On demand:

The Foreman (France)

Dr. Wise on Influenza (United Kingdom)

Pinocchio (Italy)

Carceleras (Spain)

December 1, 2021

3:00 PM Mit Out Sound Set A

Ang Tatlong Hambog

Ing Tianak

Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig

Ang Pagsuyo sa Paru-Paro ng Gabi

Dikit

7:00 PM Mit Out Sound Set B

Ha-Ha-Hambog

I Need More Than Tofu and Other Vegetables

Putol (The Cut)

Ang Pagdadalaga Ng Dalagang Bukid

December 2, 2021

3:00 PM Mit Out Sound Set B

Ha-Ha-Hambog

I Need More Than Tofu and Other Vegetables

Putol (The Cut)

Ang Pagdadalaga Ng Dalagang Bukid

7:00 PM Mit Out Sound Set A

Ang Tatlong Hambog

Ing Tianak

Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig

Ang Pagsuyo sa Paru-Paro ng Gabi

Dikit

December 3, 2021

6:00 PM 15th International Silent Film Festival Closing Night/Mit Out Sound Film Competition Awarding Ceremonies

*Online schedule is subject to change

The 15th International Silent Film Festival Manila is organized by the Japan Foundation, Manila, the Philippine Italian Association, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the Goethe-Institut, the British Council in the Philippines, the Embassy of France, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, in partnership with Embassy of Italy, the Embassy of Japan, the Embassy of Spain, the Manila Metropolitan Theatre, the National Commission on Culture and The Arts, Ortigas Cinemas, Absolut Mediem, Cineteca di Milano, CNC, Alliance Française, BFI, Filmoteca Española and Matsuda Film Productions.

Tribute online concert to Manila born Spanish musician Luis Eduardo Aute set on November 18

The Instituto Cervantes de Manila and the Embassy of the Spain in the Philippines pays tribute to Manila-born Spanish musician Luis Eduardo Aute through Con tu latido: Filipinas canta a Aute, an online concert streaming on November 18, 2021, 7:00 PM at the Instituto Cervantes YouTube channel.

The concert will feature Filipino singers who will perform songs by Aute, one of Spain's reputed artists and popular musicians in the latter part of the 20th century.

Born in Manila in 1943, Aute spent his childhood studying at the De La Salle school before settling in Spain with his family in 1954. There, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a composer of film soundtracks for movies directed by Jaime Chávarri, Luis García Berlanga, Fernando Fernán-Gómez, Angelino Fons, Fernando Méndez, etc. This period also saw him top the charts as a singer with Las cuatro y diez, or Al alba. He followed it up with hits that include Pasaba por aquí, Sin tu latido, La belleza, and Slowly. Aute passed away in September 2020.

The Filipino singers, performing the songs of Aute in Spanish is led by popular singer-stage actress Bituin Escalante. Joining her are Philippine Madrigal Singers Mark Anthony Carpio, Toma Cayabyab, Julius Sinoy, James Barbecho, Sheila Ferrer, and Ella Castro. Spanish singer Rosa León completes the lineup of performers.

Con tu latido: Filipinas canta a Aute is presented by the Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines and Intramuros Administration.

MSO performs in online thanksgiving concert

One of the last live orchestra performances that I saw before the pandemic put a stop to everything was the Manila Symphony Orchestra's 2019-2020 season ender held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Under the baton of Marlon Chen, they performed there one of my favorite works which was Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47.

Opening the concert with Shostakovich's Festive Overture Op. 96, and then pulling out his Tea for Two orchestration, Tahiti Trot Op. 16, for their encore extremely pleased me that night since this Russian composer is my favorite. Now, it seemed that I was granted this program that night just before all the pandemic caused craziness happened.

Now that there is this ray of hope that things are on the upswing, the Manila Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce an online thanksgiving concert. Presented by Barangay Bel-Air this free concert entitled as To Listen Again, as One, will stream online on November 20, 2021, 7:00 PM on YouTube.

The upcoming concert can be accessed by registering through this link:

bit.ly/nov20belairconcert

This may still be yet another online concert, but I remain hopeful that the MSO will soon grace the stage with actual audience after this ordeal is over. The orchestra is no stranger to performing after hard times like the historic concert they did at the ruins shortly after the end World War II.

Dostoevsky Challenge: Celebrating the Russian author's bicentennial

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

At the start of 2021, I've set out to read the entire works of my favorite author, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. I should've began with this endeavor once the year started but I kept on delaying it, up until now that the world is celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth.

Born in Moscow, Russia on November 11, 1821, Dostoevsky is considered as one of the world's literary greats. And with his bicentennial, the timing is perfect for me to go through his entire bibliography, read about his life, and write in here about my thoughts and the impact his works have had on me.

The first Dostoevsky work that I ever read was Crime and Punishment way back in the early 1990s through the Constance Garnett translation published by Bantam Classics that had the iconic Vasily Perov portrait of Dostoevsky on the cover. Some thought that this was way too advanced for me to read but my defiant nature and rebellious streak was already brewing back then and other people's thoughts regarding my reading preferences was the least of my concern.

After finishing Crime and Punishment, I stocked up on his works that were available at the time which were the Bantam Classics editions of Notes from Underground, Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov. I wondered then why Demons/Devils/The Possessed was not available even though it is considered as one his four great novels.

It was only upon the turn of the century when bookstores in here began to be more sophisticated that I started to see not just Demons and his other short story collections but also other translations and editions of his major works apart from the usual Bantam/Signet Classics releases.

Since then, I've had my hand on various English translations of Dostoevsky's major works. I even have copies of them in the original Russian although they serve no purpose other than to look pretty on the shelf giving me the satisfaction that I have them in my collection. It would thrilling if I could get my hands on a Filipino translation but my search has been unfruitful so far.

So to kick off this Dostoevsky Challenge, I am going back to where it all began for me, the Constance Garnett translation of Crime and Punishment released by Bantam Classics. The plan is for me to post regular, hopefully weekly, updates in this blog regarding my progress with whichever Dostoevsky work that I am reading at the moment. I will also cover other related stuff like comicbook/manga and movie adaptations of his works.

This particular Bantam Classics edition features an introduction by Joseph Frank a noted biographer and scholar of Dostoevsky. I remember getting all confused when I first attempted to read his introduction since it referenced key parts of the novel. I had yet to read the book in its entirety so I couldn't make any sense of what he wrote. But I did go back to rereading the introduction once I managed to finish the novel. And it became instrumental in my later appreciation of introductions, forewords, afterwords, literary essays that are included in books that can truly enrich the reading experience beyond the main text.

Speaking of Joseph Frank, I will read simultaneously with Crime and Punishment his one volume biography Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time so that I can have a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of Dostoevsky and his works.

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Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

https://amzn.to/3neEo4Y

Dostoevsky: A Writer in His Time by Joseph Frank

https://amzn.to/3ncM8Eo