brochure (pdf) - The Japan Foundation, Manila

ACCOMPANIED BY MUSICAL PERFORMANCES23-25 AUGUST | SHANG CINEPLEX MANDALUYONG

Now on its 7th edition, the Manila International Silent Film Festival is the onlyone of its kind in Asia- a multi-cultural showcase of films stemming fromthe birth of the cinematic era set against the backdrop of home-grown musicaltalent.Event ProgramAs was customary, most silent films were screened with a live accompanimentwhich can differ from a solo pianist to a full-blown orchestra. In this regard,the ISFF Manila steers away from the convention as it features local bandsperforming a live score in front of the audience. In the past, the festival hascounted on the participation of bands such as Tropical Depression, Razorback,Sino Sikat, and Radioactive Sago Project among others.Since its conception in 2007 with founding members Goethe-Institut, InstitutoCervantes and Japan Foundation, the Manila International Silent Film Festivalhas featured films from Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy, Greece, France, theCzech Republic and the Philippines. This year, six thoughtfully selected titleswill be screened with the participation of the Japan Foundation, the Embassyof Italy, the Phil-Italian Association, the Goethe-Institut, the Embassy of theUnited States, the Instituto Cervantes and the Film Development Council of thePhilippines.These films will be presented for public viewing from the 23rd to the 25th ofAugust free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.23 AUGUSTFRIDAY6:00 PMOpening Cocktail:sponsored by:Brotzeit7:30 PMJapan:Keisatsukan(121 minutes)24 AUGUSTSATURDAY5:00 PMItaly:La Grazia(90 minutes)8:00 PMGermany:I Don’t Want toBe a Man(45 minutes)25 AUGUSTSUNDAY2:00 PMUSA:The Phantom of theOpera(93 minutes)5:00 PMSpain:El Abuelo(125 mintes)8:00 PMPhilippines:Kamera Obskura(77 minutes)In line with this, thanks are in order for our partners- Shang Cineplex which hasbeen the home of the Silent Film Festival throughout the years and the FilmDevelopment Council of the Philippines whose efforts have paved the way fora continuous collaboration to further propagate the mutual love for local andinternational film and culture.Maraming salamat at sana’y magustuhan ninyo.[Thank you very much and we hope you like it.]

KeisatsukanACCOMPANIED BY:R.S.V.P.:811-61-55 to 58“A Police Officer” Running Time: 121 minutesemail@jfmo.org.ph Pulso Banda roadblock, a young policeA t officer Itami, meets his oldhigh school friend Tetsuo, as he makeshis way back into Tokyo after a day’sgolf. As they rekindle their friendship,Itami finds it odd that Tetsuo is soreluctant to talk about his personal life.One night, Sergeant Miyabe, Itami’smentor, is seriously wounded in abank heist. The thieves flee into thenight, but one of them is injured andleaves his fingerprints on Miyabe’ssword. One of the criminals is arrested,but remains silent until he commitssuicide in prison. Miyabe breathes hislast. Itami finds out the fingerprints1933Director: Tomu UchidaScenario: Eizo YamauchiPhotography: Soichi AisakaArt Direction: Hiroshi Mizutanion Tetsuo’s cigarette lighter matchesthose on Miyabe’s sword. After thenight assault on the criminals’ hideout,Tetsuo succumbed to Itami’s strongsense of mission as a police officer.Based on a play by Toshihiko TakedaProduction: Shinko KinemaActors:Isamu Kosugi (Itami, a policeman)Eiji Nakano (Tetsuo Tomioka)Taisuke Matsumoto (Miyabe, a policeman)Shizuko Mori (Tazuko)Source: National Film Center, The NationalMuseum of Modern Art, TokyoPulso is a three-piece instrumentalband comprised of Robby M onguitar, Matt W on bass & Franco Mon drums. Their sound is a uniqueinfusion of rock & blues w/ a tingeof ambient & electronic music. Themelodic guitar lines complemented bythe rhythm of the bass & supportedby the groove of the drums all makefor a genre that is all their own. Anumber of people have said that theirmusic is like a soundtrack to a movie.A fitting description, because theycreate songs that tell stories withoutthe need for lyrics. Their intricate &upbeat instrumentals speak to thesoul & tug at the heartstrings of anyaudience, giving them a personal &emotional connection to their music.It transcends genres, language, age,gender, race and relates/translates toeveryone. Their music takes you ona journey & just as with life, whateverhappens, enjoy it.

La GraziaOne of the best films producedin Italy in the late twenties,La Grazia is based on the shortstory Di notte ( At night ) written in1894 by Nobel Prize for LiteratureGrazia Deledda. The movie is alsoan adaptation from the libretto of anopera written by Deledda with ClaudioGuastalla and Vincenzo Michetti andperformed in Rome in 1923.Directed by Aldo De Benedetti,and recently restored, it is about adramatic love story that takes place ina small village in the heart of Sardinia,Grazia Deledda’s homeland, where theancient traditions and the strict honor1929Director: Aldo De BenedettiMain actors: Carmen Boni,Giorgio Bianchi, Ruth WeyherRunning Time: 90 MinutesGenre: Dramacode of the shepherds meet with theunpredictable laws of passion andlove.A handsome stranger (GiorgioBianchi) comes to a mountain villagein Sardinia to inspect lands he hasinherited, and promises to marry abeautiful shepherdess (Carmen Boni),who he has fallen in love with. Theshepherdess gives birth to a child andis forced to tell the male membersof her family, who set out to exacttheir revenge. Will the harsh laws ofvengeance triumph or will the family bereunited around the baby?R.S.V.P.:815-13-10culturale.manila@esteri.itACCOMPANIED BY:Sino SikatIn an industry where one’s successdepends on whom you sound like,Sino Sikat breaks musical stereotypeswith their own concoction of homegrown music inspired by sincerity,purity & honesty through music.Their music is an orgy of jazz, soul,funk, rock, & sexy groovy beatsmatched with unparalleled skill. Theyare driven and intense in their craft,which shows in their live performancesand they are influenced by the pastand inspired by the future. Sinosikatwill Rock your Soul!

El Abuelo“The Grandfather”When the son of the Count ofAlbrit dies, the aging nobleman encounters a letter and finds outthat one of his beloved granddaughtersis illegitimate—the result of a dissolutelife of his daughter-in-law. From thenon, Don Rodrigo resolves to haveonly one aim—to find out which oneof his two granddaughters is the realdescendent of Albrit.“El Abuelo” was an adaptation of anovel of reputed Spanish writer, BenitoPérez Galdós.1925Director: José BuchsRunning Time: 125 MinutesPlace of Production: España.Script: José Buchs (based on the novel Elabuelo of Benito Pérez Galdós)Director of Photography: Armando Pou.Cast: Modesto Rivas, Doris Wilton,Celia Escudero, Arturo de la Riva, MaríaComendador, Ana de Leyva, AlejandroNavarroRSVP:526-14-82 loc. 106cultmni@cervantes.esACCOMPANIED BY:EarthmoverComposed of Dru Ubaldo (percussionsand samples), Daniel Garcia (guitars)and Gerald Guerrero (bass), Earthmovertells a story with each element of theirsound: a drowning tempo swivel,dramatic and clever rifts, brilliantpersussion play, intoxicating bass lines,and entangling atmospheres that echotales of flight and a collective passionfor instrumentalism and past rock.Hailing from Quezon City and spawlingfrom a decade of actively playing inbands such as Kneel on Nails, Sound,Lampara and Sikatuna, the memberscracked the surface with the debutrelease, “First Sighting” in March, 2012.

FILM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINESKamera Obskura“Kamera Obskura” is about agroup of film historians finding arare Filipino silent film of mysteriousunknown origins. Even the director andproducers are unknown. What makesthis find even more extraordinary is thefact that the film seems to bear highlyunusual influences from expressionistcinema of the era, somethingunfamiliar in Filipino cinema history.“Kamera Obskura” is a film withina film, and it challenges the viewersto travel back in time and re-imaginethe lost silent cinema heritage in thePhilippines.RSVP: 817 09 782012Director: Raymond RedMain actors: Pen Medina, Joel Torre,Nanding Josef, Abe Pagtama,Suzette Ranillo, Lou Veloso,Ping Medina,Irene GabrielSupporting cast: Sue Prado,Madlen Nicolas, Archie Adamos, MonConfiado, Bombi Plata, Flor SalangaACCOMPANIED BY:SPYSuper group SPY has a distinctmusical blend of influences: Rock,Blues, Funk, Jazz, Reggae and Afrobeat.With Sammy Asuncion on guitars andvocals, Louie Talan on bass and Relide Vera on drums. Experience PinoyBlues at its finest!The Film Development Council of the Philippinesthrough its Film Cultural Exchange Program (FCEP)seeks to open dialogue and strengthen culturaland diplomatic relationships with the internationalcommunity through the language of cinema. With theFCEP in place,Filipino filmmakers can benefit from theexchange of ideas and interaction with theircounterparts abroad,Filipino audiences can get to see quality foreignfilms, andThe best of classic and contemporary Filipinofilms can be shown abroad with the assistanceof FDCP’s partners in the diplomatic andinternational film community.www.fdcp.ph

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