International Silent Film Festival makes noise online

MANILA, Philippines — If a film festival falls in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, does it make a sound?

Apparently, yes!

The International Silent Film Festival Manila, for the first time since its creation in 2007, will go digital to ensure that audiences can watch safely from their own homes.

This marks the 14th edition of the first and oldest silent film festival in Asia.

The lineup of free classic films to be screened online are all scored and accompanied by Filipino musicians.

A total of 10 film selections are featured from Japan, Italy, France and Germany.

The Japan Foundation Manila will present at 6 p.m. today six animated short silent films from the Japanese Animation Classics collection, digitally rendered and subtitled in English by the National Film Archive of Japan.

Two Italian films will be screened on Saturday, while the French and German entries will be shown Sunday.

All of the films will be available for free here, but will only be screened during the following scheduled times.

Friday, December 4, 6:00 p.m.

• "The Dull Sword" (1917) – Japan
• "Burglars of 'Baghdad' Castle" (1926) – Japan
• "The Animal Olympics" (1928) – Japan
• "Two Worlds" (1929) – Japan
• "Old Man Goichi" (1931) – Japan
• "A Day after a Hundred Years" (1933) – Japan

Saturday, December 5

• 11 a.m. – "The Silent Killer" (2020) – Italy
• 6 p.m. – "Malombra" (1917) – Italy

Sunday, December 6

• 11 a.m. – "The Manor of Fear" (1927) – France
• 6 p.m. – "Metropolis" (1927) – Germany