Junosuke Bando (left) and Akiko Chihaya in “Jujiro” (1928), directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa. (Photo courtesy of the 13th annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival)

The 13th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival will start Friday, July 11, and run until Sunday, July 13, at the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St. (at Market) in San Francisco.

The festival will feature 10 silent films from the 1920s from around the world, including the 1928 Japanese film “Jujiro” (Crossways), directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.

Kinugasa was a world-renowned director, having won numerous acclaims for his film “Jigokumon” (The Gate of Hell) in 1953, including the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix, honorable mention at the Academy Awards, and an award for costume design. “Jigokumon” also won the New York Film Critics’ Prize for Best Foreign Language Film.

Originally an actor, Kinugasa made his acting debut portraying a female in the 1918 film “Nana Iro Yubiwa” (Seven-Colored Ring).

He made the transition to director in 1920 with his directorial debut, “Imoto no Shi” (The Death of the Younger Sister). After that, in 1932, his film “Chushingura,” an Edo period piece, was a major hit and made actor Kazuo Hasegawa a star. In 1958, he won special recognition at Cannes for his film “Hakuro” (White Heron). Kinugasa is one of cinema’s most highly regarded Japanese directors.

But the film that gained Kinugasa worldwide acclaim was “Jujiro,” which takes place in Edo Japan in Tokyo’s red-light district. The avant-garde film, which tells the tragic tale of a brother and sister, stars Akiko Chihaya, Junosuke Bando, and Yukiko Ogawa. It will show on June 13 at 6:10 p.m.

“Jujiro” was the first Japanese film to be released commercially in Europe, according to the Internet Movie Database.

Live piano accompaniment will be provided by Stephen Horne.

The 80-minute feature will be preceded by a nine-minute short, “Kaleidoscope” (1925).

This screening is co-presented by the Center for Asian American Media.

Admission is $12 for members, $14 for non-members. Tickets can be ordered in advance until July 10 by calling (800) 838-3006, going on-line to www.silentfilm.org, or visiting the SFSFF office at 833 Market St., Suite 812, between 12 and 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
During the festival, tickets can only be purchased at the Castro box office. Passes for the entire festival are available.

For tickets and more information, visit www.silentfilm.org.