The world according to the Spaniards

MANILA, Philippines - Everyone knows how close the affinity between the Philippines and Spain is. This is seen in our language, peppered with words borrowed from Spanish. It’s seen in our Roman Catholic religion, a legacy the Spanish friars handed down from one generation to the next. It’s seen in our colorful way of expressing ourselves — complete with strong words and even stronger gestures.

That’s why the Spanish Film Festival, which Instituto Cervantes de Manila has been holding annually, was never wanting for an audience. Last year saw 20,000 spectators flocking to see the films on exhibition.

This year, the festival is even bigger. The good news —  especially for film students — is that admission is free at the De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde.

“This year marks our eighth edition and we’re very proud of how our festivals come in such a short period of time,” says Instituto Cervantes director Jose Rodriguez. He adds that he is especially proud of the festival’s reputation of being a venue for featuring award-winning Spanish films.

“The idea is to blend our ideas with Filipinos so we can know each other better,” Rodriguez explains.

Up for screening on Oct. 1 to 31 are over 40 films, or twice the number shown last year. A photo exhibit on the evolution of Spanish cinema, tagged as Cronica Visual del Cine Espanol (A Visual Chronicle of Spanish Cinema) will recreate the journey of the films from old Europe to Latin America. This will be mounted at the De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB).

Opening cocktails will be at Greenbelt 3 Cinema 2 tomorrow, Sept. 30, 7:15 p.m.   Advance screening of the comedy No Me Pidas Que Te Bese Porque Te Besare (Don’t Ask Me to Kiss You, Because I Will) follows at 8 p.m. (admission price per person in Greenbelt film screenings is P65).

Films will be divided into four groups: Official section at Greenbelt 3 Cinemas featuring Spanish contemporary and award-winning films; Spanish and Filipino documentaries at CCP and Spanish Cinema in 8 Films at College of St. Benilde featuring eight classic Spanish movies and Latin-American indies titled Cine en Construccion (Films in Progress).

Multi-awarded films El Truco del Manco (The One-Handed Trick), Una Palabra Tuya, Los Girasoles Ciegos (The Blind Sunflowers), Rotorno a Hansala (Return to Hansala) and 3 Dias will be shown Oct. 1 at Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.

Casual Day will be screened on Oct. 2, 7 p.m.; Oct. 4, 4:30 p.m. and Oct. 10, 9:30 p.m. at Greenbelt 3.

Other films: El Nido Vacio (Empty Nest), a comedy that explores the gap seen when children grow up and move away from home and Deita Mediterranea (Mediterranean Diet), about a girl regarded as “the best chef in the world” and the two men who helped her become a legend.

The filmfest pays tribute to Mexico’s film industry via Mexican Cinema Night on Oct. 7. Up for screening is La Zona (The Zone), a film about a wealthy compound surrounded by walls and surveillance system to protect the locals from the violence in the slums.

Exhibits at DLSU-CSB will go hand-in-hand with workshops on scriptwriting and editing as well as a showcase of Latin-American films. Chilean director Oscar Cardenas will grace the Asian premiere of his film, Rabia on Oct. 14, 12:30 p.m.

On Oct. 7 to 31 at the CCP, a photo exhibit on Filipino filmmakers by top Spanish photographer Oscar Orengo will feature Peque Gallaga, Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz and others.

Filipino and Spanish documentaries will be shown at the CCP Dream Theater on Oct. 7.