Film enthusiasts from Mindanao will have a treat this week of November as Cine Europa screens its films on friendships until 20 November at Liceo de Cagayan de Oro.
Ambassador-Designate József Bencze of Hungary will inaugurate the Cine Europa in CDO on 18 November with the film, ‘Anyám és más futóbolondok a családból’ or ‘Mom and Other Loonies in the Family’.
The film tells a heartbreaking and amusingly unconventional tale of a family of four generations of “loonies”, narrating the story of Mom who has lived 94 years and has moved 27 times during her lifespan.
Now on its 19th year, Cine Europa is the longest running film festival in the Philippines. It has the widest potential of reaching large audiences as it screens in a variety of venues, from theaters to malls and to universities.
The film festival showcases the quality and ingenuity of European filmmaking from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In addition, it features great Filipino movies such as “Ma Rosa”, “Imago”, “Of Sinners and Saints” and “Mana” directed by Brillante Mendoza, Ruben Ribay Gutierrez, Ruben Maria Soriquez and Gabby Fernandez.
The theme for this year’s festival is “Friendship”, a theme meant also to celebrate 25-year anniversary of the opening of the EU Delegation in the Philippines.
Cine Europa begun its Mindanao tour at the FDCP Cinematheque in Zamboanga from 12 to 16 October and in the FDCP in Davao City from 25 to 30 October. After CDO, Cine Europa will travel back to Luzon, to Palawan State University & Robinsons Place, Puerto Princesa, from 22 to 27 November.
The last leg of this year’s edition of Cine Europa will be in the FDCP’s Cinematheque in Kalaw, Manila from 6 to 11 December.
Cine Europa is presented by the European Union Delegation to the Philippines, the EU Member States’ Embassies, EU Cultural Institutes (Alliance Francaise de Manille, British Council, Goethe Institut, Instituto Cervantes, Philippine-Italian Association), the Embassy of Norway, EU Member States Consulates and its partner organisations from the private sector, academe and government agencies.