Northeastern University and Boston Asian American Film Festival celebrate National Silent Movie Day and the upcoming 15th Boston Asian American Film Festival with a festival preview, screening of Oath of the Sword (1914) and panel conversation.
The Oath of the Sword was produced in 1914 by a company described by Moving Picture World as the “first company in America to be owned, controlled and operated by Japanese.” Based in Los Angeles, the Japanese American Film Company was among several similar independent film companies established by Japanese during a period when the American film industry had yet to become Hollywood as we know it. The Oath of the Sword is the earliest known Asian American film production and illuminates a largely unknown chapter in American film history.
Join us for the East Coast premiere of this recently REDISCOVERED & RESTORED silent film treasure. Musical score arranged from period photoplay music, with additional original material, by Allen Feinstein. Orchestration for theatre orchestra by Allen Feinstein, Ben Green, and Jasmine Bryant.
Panel discussion with Denise Khor, Arthur Dong, and Allen Feinstein, moderated by Susan Chinsen.
This event is free and open to the public.
Film still courtesy George Eastman Museum. Restored by the Japanese American National Museum and George Eastman Museum. Funded by the National Film Preservation Foundation. The digital restoration from a 35mm nitrate print and 35mm safety negative from the George Eastman Museum collection was completed at Eastman Museum Film Preservation Services and Colorlab.
DIRECTED BY: Frank Shaw. WITH: Tomi Morri, Miss Hisa Numa, Yutaka Abe. 1914. 31 min. USA. Tinted, B&W. Silent. English intertitles.
Title Graphic from Motion Picture Magazine, January 1915.
