By KIRSTEN CABUENOS
The 20th edition of the “Pelicula Spanish Film Festival: Pelikula” is in its second year exhibiting Spanish films online.
A collaboration between the Instituto Cervantes and the Spanish Embassy of the Philippines, the essence of the event is to transverse cultures and be socially aware through films.
Instituto Cervantes Director Javier Gálvan described this online set-up as an opportunity to grow and showcase innovative features, as it expands the collaboration to Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
The Spanish Film Festival is a 10-day event, starting from Oct. 1, opening with the film “El Cover” “The Cover”, a musical comedy film by Secun de la Rosa up to Oct. 10, screening 18 films. There are 11 films for the official selection, five short films, and three films for the audience award selection.
The official movie section includes: “The Cover”, “On This Side of the World”, “One More Time”, “Lina from Lima”, “Watch the Birds”, “Invisible”, “Sad”, “Dark and Bright”, “15 Hours”, “Ane”, “Antonio Machado: The Blue Days.”
The five short films, each film representing Thailand, Philippines, Australia and Spain: “Aninsri Deng”, “Tarang”, “Groundhog Night”, and “To Face.”
The audience award selection: “Champions”, “Off the Chart”, “The Secret in their Eyes”, “Also The Rain”, and “A Chinese Story.”
“October is a very special month for the Spaniards, we observe National Spain Day” Spanish Embassy of the Philippines Ambassador Jorge Moragas Sanchez shares. “We cannot celebrate it physically here in Manila because of the pandemic, but we can bond through Felipikula ,” he adds.
With the pandemic shaping our lifestyle, The film industry also has to adapt to the changing landscape. Just last year, The Philippine Motion Pictures Producers Association (PMPPA) reported that the Philippine film industry faced losses. So the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson, Liza Diño is yet again thrilled to be part of this initiative.
“Pelicula is assisting the Philippine film industry to be globally competitive and equipped,” Diño explains. She adds that the Spanish Film Industry has a well-grounded system which she hopes can influence the Philippines to build a sustainable film industry.
“Cinema is culture and an important tool in isolation and alienation the pandemic brought us," Sanchez states.
“And Cinema fills that void," Emilio Demilien affirmed.
Below is the film schedule of the “Pelicula Spanish Film Festival” and each film will be available for free viewing at www.pelikula.es for 48 hours starting at 6 pm.
