Udine Far East Film Festival honors Eddie Garcia

MANILA, Philippines — The 23rd Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy is paying homage to the late multi-awarded film actor, director Eddie Garcia with a Special Tribute Section dubbed as Eddie Garcia: Life as a Film Epic (Ommagio a Eddie Garcia : La vita come un’epopea cinematografica), from June 24 to July 2.

The tribute will showcase Garcia’s five of his films, including Pagdating sa Dulo, directorial debut of Ishmael Bernal (1971); Bwakaw by Jun Robles Lana (2012); Rainbow’s Sunset by Joel Lamangan (2018); Shadows, a short film by Raymond Red (2000); and Sinasamba Kita directed by Garcia (1982, FAMAS Best Director winner).

Sixty-three films from 11 countries (Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Macau, Myanmar and the Philippines) will be shown on-site at Cinema Visionario and Cinema Centrale, and online as well.

Philippine films Fan Girl by Antoinette Jadaone (2020) and Anak ng Macho Dancer by Joel Lamangan (2021) are among the 45 films in the Competition Section.

Grace Simbulan’s A is for Agustin will be screened under Documentaries Section (Out of Competition).

The organization also announced that Focus Asia is back.

Festival organizers said: “Besides the Project Market and the Work-In Progress Section, all selected films will be in the running for the 108 Media Distribution Award. Focus Asia 2021 launches the first edition of the Second-Hand Film Market, a brand-new section designed to showcase a fine selection of restored hits from the recent past ready to be released in the near future.

“The programme will also feature a series of lectures, case studies, one to one meetings and networking activities to bring closer all our Asian and European participants.”