MANILA, Philippines - Watching movies can be an expensive hobby. No matter how many times Derek Ramsay steps on tomatoes to remind us that piracy is a crime, there are still people who don’t see value in paying to go to an actual cinema. Well, for those short of funds, not only is the International Silent Film Festival in Manila free of charge, it also promises a unique movie-going event that can only be experienced live.
To celebrate 10 years of classic cinema, the nine participating countries in the fest have expanded the program to include lectures from film experts, a roundtable discussion, and a mini-exhibit detailing the festival’s decade-long journey through movie history. The exhibit also features interactive installations like a live film set and glass canvases on which you can create your own movie posters. This expanded program is designed to immerse newcomers in the absorbing world of silent cinema.
Of course, the festival still features a varied mix of nine silent films from 1899-2005. As always, live musicians will provide their own interpretations of their corresponding movies’ musical scores as the films are screened. This year’s lineup includes a compilation of silent Shakespearean short films, the Philippines’ own Indio Nacional, as well as performances from Ely Buendia, Basti Artadi, Oh, Flamingo!, and festival first-timers Up Dharma Down, who are lending their distinct sound to the F.W. Murnau silent film, The Last Laugh.
If you’ve never watched a silent film, now is your chance to see these classics in a way no one’s experienced before. You might even learn something along the way.
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The 10th International Silent Film Festival in Manila runs until Aug. 28 at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza. For screening schedules and additional information, visit facebook.com/internationalsilentfilmfestivalmanila.