Contemporary Venezuelan Films at Instituto Cervantes
MANILA, Philippines - Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Venezuela in the Philippines, introduces some of Venezuela’s contemporary cinematic creations to Manila by showcasing a special film cycle today until April 20, 6:30 p.m., at Instituto Cervantes’ Salon de Actos.
Gaining critical recognition worldwide, film productions which used Venezuela and the surrounding area as a backdrop are getting plaudits in film festivals around the world. One of which is Zamora, tierra y hombres libres (Zamora Free Land and Men), a historical film that exposes events which occurred in the middle half of the 19th century. The film, directed by Roman Chalbaud in 2008, will be screened on April 16.
Showing the following day is Postales de Leningrado (Postcards from Leningrad), a movie about a couple of children who learn about the involvement of their parents in a guerrilla war. All this is told from the viewpoint of a young girl who narrates the adventures of their insurgent parents. On April 18, Haik Gazarian’s 2009 film Venezzia will be screened. Set in 1942, Venezzia narrates what happens when the United States begins an espionage program in South America due to the potential threat of Nazis submarines in the Caribbean.
If you are in the mood for a period drama, then Bolívar, Eterno Ciudadano de la Libertad is the film for you. Screening on April 19, this film portrays one of the periods in the life of Venezuelan liberator, Simón Bolívar, when José Antonio Páez instigated a movement The Cosiata, with the aim of separating Venezuela from The Big Colombia.
The film cycle closes on April 20 with Habana Eva, a 2010 romantic comedy film directed by Fina Torres. Winner of the best feature film prize at that year’s Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, this movie follows the story of a young seamstress, trapped in a sweatshop job, who dreams of designing beautiful dresses. Frustrated by her lazy, though adorable Cuban boyfriend, she meets a sophisticated ex-patriot Cuban-American who dazzles her with a glamorous future.
Cine Venezolano is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila in collaboration with the Embassy of Venezuela, the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines, and Spanish Agency International Cooperation for Development (AECID).
Admission to all the screenings is free on a first-come, first-served basis. For information, call 526-1482 or visit http://manila.cervantes.es. Instituto Cervantes de Manila is at 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila.
