15th Cine Europa serves up free movie buffet

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 25 movies comprise this year’s edition of the yearly Cine Europa film festival, which kicked off at its perennial home, the Shangri-La Plaza last Sept. 5.

The festival is organized yearly by the European Union Cultural Group in Manila, a collective of EU member-states and cultural institutes. For the milestone 15th staging, the EU participants partner with the Embassies of Norway and Switzerland, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the Independent Film Cooperative, the Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Arts Council of Cebu and Liceo de Cagayan de Oro to present the highest ever number of featured films.

At the recent media launch and screening of the Finnish film Napapiirin Sankarit (Lapland Odyssey), Julian Vassallo, European Union Delegation to the Philippines political counselor, underscored how the 15th Cine Europa has been made more special. First, screening locations have been doubled from three to six — adding the cities of Davao, Baguio and Iloilo. The educational component of the festival has also been “boosted… (exploring) the links between the European and Filipino cinema which are deeper than many may think. Educational roundtables will tackle different aspects of cinematic art while information will be made available on Filipino filmmakers may be able to access European funds.”

Finally, for the first time, the filmfest will include Filipino movies specially chosen for their “European connections.” The flicks include Paglipad ng Anghel, Kano, Bakal Boys and MNL 143.

Meanwhile, Shangri-La Plaza marketing manager Marline Dualan noted that the Cine Europa is already the 10th and the tail end of the mall’s packed film festival calendar for the year, and admitted that it is “by far the largest because of the sheer number of… movies.” For his part, National Film Archives of the Philippines director and head Benedict Olgado said each of the movies is expected to “strike a chord” among the Filipino viewing public.

The festival, maintained Vassallo, is not only a “gift of friendship” from the EU member-states, but a showpiece of distinctly European themes that should also resonate in the Filipino audience.

European films, he continued, depart from the typical Hollywood stereotype of “sugary” happy endings and, instead, feature “quirky” filmmaking. It’s a tempting invitation to live vicariously through different eyes — even the eyes of a goat, in one instance.

The peculiar take on the familiar is clearly present in 2010’s Lapland Odyssey (directed by Dome Karukoski and starring Pamela Tola, Jussi Vatanen, Jasper Pääkönen, Timo Lavikainen and Konsta Mäkelä), a story that takes off from the seemingly mundane pursuit of a digital TV box, itself piggybacked on the morbid tale of one “swing tree” where countless men have hung themselves over the years.

Set in Lapland’s harsh winter, a perennially jobless Janne is given an ultimatum by his girlfriend Inari to procure said digibox or their relationship is over. Conscripting the help of two friends (themselves lost souls), Janne hits the road for over 200 kilometers of madcap adventures, soul-searching and self-discovery. We learn that, indeed, the pursuit of love and respect is universal — whether you’re shivering in Finland snow or sweating in oppressive Philippine heat.

(The 15th Cine Europa will run until Sept. 16 at the Shangri-La Mall; from Sept. 21 to 24, Ayala Center Cebu; Sept. 27 to 30, Liceo de Cagayan in Cagayan de Oro City; Oct. 4 to 7, FDCP Cinemateque in Davao City; Oct. 11 to 14, FDCP Cinemateque in Baguio City; and Oct. 18 to 21, FDCP Cinemateque in Iloilo City. For details, visit eeas.europa.eu/delegations/philippines or facebook.com/EUDelegationToThePhilippines.)