A love story nearly erased. A voice that brings it back to life.
The International Silent Film Festival Manila continues its celebration of cinema history and live performance with a special screening of The Scent of Pheasant’s Eye: An Episode from the Tales of Flowers, directed by Jirô Kawate. This rare 1930s Japanese silent film is adapted from the work of Yoshiya Nobuko—one of Japan’s earliest openly queer women writers and a trailblazer of shōjo and yuri literature. In a time when stories of women loving women were rarely told, Yoshiya wrote them into existence, offering narratives that still feel quietly revolutionary.
This revival is told in the tradition of how silent films once were—through the voice of a benshi. Nanako Yamauchi, one of only around 20 active benshi remaining in Japan, will perform a live narration that blends storytelling, performance, and emotion, bringing this nearly forgotten film vividly to life.
Accompanying her is a live original score by an all-female ensemble: Mariah Reodica, Teresa Barrozo, and Pat Sarabia. Together, they weave indie rock, experimental sound, and bold percussion into a contemporary reimagining of Yoshiya’s world.
Attend the screening and get a chance to take home limited edition Japan Foundation Manila merchandise, including:
- JFF & JF Tote Bags
- SUKI: The Official Magazine of JFM
- JFF Postcards
- Japanese Film Festival Theater Fans
First come, first served. One item per person while supplies last.
This isn’t just a screening—it’s a reclamation. A revival. A tribute to queer storytelling and women’s voices, past and present.
July 14, 2025 | 2:00 PM | Cine Adarna, UP Film Center
Free admission | Walk-ins welcome | Register here: https://bit.ly/JapaneseSilentFilmScreening
