Exciting stories of adventure & survival

MANILA, Philippines - The public screening of the 13th edition of Ciné Europa (European Film Festival) opened yesterday, with 22 movies from 17 European countries scheduled to be shown at the Cinema 2 of the Shang Cineplex of Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Daily screening begins from 12 a.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m. with the last showing at 9 p.m.

Belgian Cultural officer Anne Blomen said that each of the participating film at this year’s Ciné Europa “constitutes a different mind frame, yet all of them showcase the diversity within one Europe, the ‘old’ continent as the saying goes, but new in its unity.”

“There is love, laughter, action, crime, heroism, you name it and there is a film about it,” Blomen told reporters in a press briefing.

Goethe Institut director Richard Kuenzel announced the special screening of The Laughing Star on Sept. 15 at the Alliance Francaise in Makati City.

Kuenzel said the Laughing Star is as a documentary by the late Werner Schroeter, a multi-awarded German film-maker depicting the Philippine history from the beginning of the Philippine revolution against Spain to the Marcos regime. Schroeter, one of the leaders of the ‘70s-era New German Cinema, died last April 12 following a bout with cancer.

Schroeter would have wanted to return to the Philippines to show his docu, Kuenzel said.

Greek ambassador Xenia Stefanidou said they chose the multi-awarded film El Greco for this year’s Ciné Europa because of its “cultural criteria.” Stefanidou added that it may surprise a number of Filipinos to learn after watching the film that El Greco was originally a Greek national before moving to Spain, where he attained fame and wealth.

Stefanidou said the film is “an epic tale of an uncompromising artist and fighter for freedom, Domenicos Theotocopoulos, known to the world as El Greco.” Set in the 16th century, El Greco’s search for freedom, and love, ranges from the courts of Crete and Venice to Toledo in Spain, where he is confronted by his greatest adversary, the Holy Inquisition.

French Embassy Audiovisual Attaché Martin Makalintal said they hope that in the future, European films will be shown commercially in the Philippines in a scale similar to those from Hollywood.

Last Sept. 9, Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, head of Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, and Lala Fojas, EVP and GM of Shangri-La Plaza Corp., will inaugurate Ciné Europa 13 with the 6 p.m. invitational screening of the Belgian film The Baron.

In a message, Macdonald said this year’s festival “promises to be another exciting journey of adventure and survival, of hope and triumph, of fun and laughter, as outstanding films from Europe are brought to Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro from Sept. 10 to Oct. 3.”

Organizers said “Ciné Europa 13 continues its tradition of further enhancing dialogue between European and Filipino cultures through the silver screen.”

“This year’s selection of movies, carefully handpicked to cater to the Filipino audiences, showcases the range and breadth of emotions from the different stories of love, laughter, hope, despair, survival, courage and steadfastness. While approaches may vary from country to country, Filipino audiences will be able to empathize with the different characters in each film,” organizers said.

Following last year’s partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, this year’s film festival will raffle off one economy ticket to Europe.

This year’s featured films include Austria and Germany’s The Robber; Belgium’s The Baron; Bulgaria’s The World of Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner; Czech Republic’s Empties; Denmark’s Terribly Happy; Finland’s Forbidden Fruit; Greece’s El Greco; France’s Toward Zero and All is Forgotten; Italy’s My Brother is an Only Child and Persons Unknown; Slovakia’s Soul at Peace; The Netherlands’ Hannahannah and Storm Bound; Sweden’s The Black Pimpernel; Romania’s Philantrophy and Mircea; the United Kingdom’s An Education; Spain’s The Grandfather and Mad Love; and Switzerland’s Marcello, Marcello.

 After its Manila run, Ciné Europa then goes to Ayala Center in Cebu from Sept. 22 to 24 and then to Liceo de Cagayan de Oro from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3.

Admission to the screenings is free on a first-come, first-served basis. For film screening schedules and other inquiries, call 633-7851 or log on to www.shangrila-plaza.com.

(E-mail me at [email protected].)