MANILA, Philippines - Goethe-Institut, Instituto Cervantes, the Japan Foundation, Manila, the Philippine-Italian Association, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Embassies of Austria, France, Thailand, and the United States of America present the 9th edition of the International Silent Film Festival in Manila to be held from Aug. 27 to 30 at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City.
The International Silent Film Festival in Manila opens with the screening of one of its newest members, Austria’s Orlacs Hände (The Hands of Orlac), a 1924 silent horror film based on the fantasy novel of French writer Maurice Renard. Directed by Robert Wiene, the film tells the story of world-famous pianist Paul Orlac, who receives a double-hand transplant and later finds out that his new hands belonged to a criminal.
The Orlacs Hände screening on Aug. 27 at the Shang Cineplex will feature a live musical score by The Executives, a big-band jazz outfit founded by the late Senator Raul Manglapus in 1957. Cocktails start at 6 p.m. and screening commences at 8 p.m.
On Aug. 28, the festival will feature the Philippines’ Brides of Sulu with live music from Kjwan and Japan’s series of short silent comedy films, Kokushi Muso (Peerless Patriot), Wasei Kenka Tomodachi (Fighting Friends – Japanese Style), Tokkan Kozo (A Straightforward Boy), and Ishikawa Goemon no Hoji (A Buddhist Mass for Goemon Ishikawa) which will be accompanied by Hidden Nikki.
Another new member of the festival, Thailand, will screen its silent film The Overture on Aug. 29 accompanied by the Royal Thai Navy Traditional Ensemble. Germany’s Berlin, die Sinfonie der Grostadt (Berlin, Symphony of a Great City) follows Thailand and will be accompanied by Pierre Oser and the Big Jazz Balloon. Finally, Spain’s Don Juan Tenorio will be shown with the musical performance from The Dingdong Fiel Trio.
Culminating the film festival on Aug. 30 are France’s Paris Qui Dort (The Crazy Ray), accompanied by Ian Lofamia Blues Band, Italy’s Gli ultimi giorni di Pompei (The Last Days of Pompeii) with musical accompaniment from The Dawn, and the USA’s Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans with musical performance from Razorback.
The 9th International Silent Film Festival is made possible in partnership with Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza, JEC Philippines (Austria), the National Film Center of The Museum of Modern Art Tokyo and Shochiku Co., Ltd., the Embassies of Italy and Spain, Filmoteca de Catalunya, Institut Francais, and EUNIC Philippines.
For screening schedules and inquiries, visit www.facebook.com/InternationalSilentFilmFestivalManila.