In last week's column, we talked about the launch of the annual International Silent Film Festival Manila which is now on its 15th year. It had its opening ceremony last Wednesday at the newly reopened Metropolitan Theater. We noted that instead of presenting one original silent film classic like our partner countries to represent their country, the Philippines will be represented by nine newly-made silent short films.

You see, unlike the rest of the partner organizations hosting the screening of their silent film gems, we really have no original and extant silent film to show. Sadly, we have lost most, if not all, of our original silent films.

We do not stop with the loss, though. We rebuild and reimagine.
 

The Mit Out Sound: International Silent Film Lab

While Jose Nepomuceno is considered the Father of Philippine Cinema with his "Dalagang Bukid," a silent film starring National Artist Atang Dela Rama, many other films have been shown and produced in Manila. Public screenings were done as early as 1897, albeit not of films with plot or narrative in the beginning, but of snippets of daily life, panoramic shots, celebrations and events, among others.

From these black and white and "silent" beginnings emerged the Philippines' and the world's fascination with the moving picture as the entertainment of choice.

However, the materials used back then for films were easily perishable, and compounded with the lack of expertise in the safekeeping and archiving of old films, there are a very few number of old movies of that era that has an extant copy today. The silent film genre has become a memory.

This loss became the impetus for the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) to pursue the preservation of the country's cinematic heritage, but not limiting it to physical archiving but stepping up to the more dynamic side of reimagining the silent film with a new breed of filmmakers and music composers.

This goal gave birth to the Mit Out Sound (MOS) Silent Film Lab and Competition, a workshop and competition that aims to discover new talents and rekindle the enthusiasm for silent filmmaking in the country. This way, we begin rebuilding our roster of silent films again.

The journey towards reimagining

The open call for the MOS Silent Film Competition was sounded last May with the theme "Reimagining the Past with the Present." The MOS, after all, was an homage to Philippine silent cinema. Aspiring filmmakers were asked to present their concepts of the artistic and contemporary reimagination of the following Filipino silent film classics: Jose Nepomuceno's "Dalagang Bukid," "Ang Tatlong Hambog," "Ang Manananggal," "Moro Pirates," "Mang Tano, Nuno ng mga Aswang," "Tianak," "Mali-Mali," and "Estrellita del cine;" Vicente Salumbides' "Miracles of Love;" Julian Manansala's "Patria Amore;" and Carmen Concha's "Oriental Blood.

Out of the many who have submitted, nine filmmakers were selected as finalists. However, a silent film is not complete without live musical accompaniment aiding it in storytelling. To address this, a parallel musical scoring program we called the MOS Musical Scoring Lab to train a diverse set of aspiring musicians from different backgrounds.

Each film finalist was matched with a new film composer who crafted an original musical score made especially for the assigned film. From there, the chosen pairs' journey of discovery and collaboration began. They attended a series of intensive training in the film labs on storytelling, musical scoring and editing under the mentorship of local and international film experts.

Meet the Mit Out Sound Finalists

With that, FDCP is proud to introduce the nine film makers and musical scorers from the first Mit Out Sound Silent Film Festival — "Ang Tatlong Hambog" by Sari Katharyn Molintas (director) and Glenn Barit (musical scorer); "Ing Tianak" by EJ Gagui and Marienel Calma (directors) and Pau Protacio (musical scorer); "Alingasngas Ng Mga Kuliglig" by Vahn Leinard Pascual (director) and Karl Arthur Javier and Nik Rosacay (musical scorers); "Ang Pagsuyo sa Paru-Paro ng Gabi" by Racquel De Guzman Morilla (director) and Dominic Laxamana (musical scorer); and "Dikit" by Gabriela Serrano (director) and Paulo Almaden (musical scorer).

Completing the list are "Ha-Ha-Hambog" by Kate Torralba and Jopie Sanchez (directors) and Odoni Pestelos (musical scorer); "I Need More Than Tofu and Other Vegetables" by Hector Barretto Calma (director) and Jude Edgard Balsamo (musical scorer); "Putol (The Cut)" by Nikolas Red (director) and Jem Talaroc (musical scorer); and "Ang Pagdadalaga Ng Dalagang Bukid" by Jose Carlos Soliongco (director) and CK Sabillo (musical scorer).

These silent short films, the first harvest of the MOS Silent Film Labs, are representing the country in the ongoing 15th International Silent Film Festival. These will be screened online at the FDCP Channel from December 1 to 3. The first Mit Out Sound Silent Film Competition's best film, best director, and best film composer will be announced on the closing ceremony of the festival.

We have big dreams for silent filmmaking in the Philippines. This was where we started. But alas! We don't dream dreams and then they just happen. We make our dreams come true.

It is true that the revival of our silent film library is still far away from being fully alive and thriving. The fact is, we began late in the game. But we will get there as long as we do not stop trying.

With the first Mit Out Sound Film Lab and Competition, the FDCP is hopeful that this is the beginning not just of the rebuilding of Philippine Cinema's silent film library, but the start of a very long and productive journey for a new breed of Filipino artists who will lend their voices to the chorus of diverse perspectives, and their visions into visual masterpieces.

Congratulations to the many people who have been working on this since early this year, and now we can finally see and enjoy the fruits of our toils. Best wishes to the filmmakers and composers.

This is not the end of the journey. As the theme of this year's inaugural celebration of the Film Industry Month goes—Ito ang Bagong Sinemula!

Notes from the Chair
The Sunday Times Magazine  - The Manila Times

Notes from the Chair is part of the Arts Awake section of The Sunday Times Magazine published by The Manila Times. Click HERE to view the article on The Manila Times website.