CINE EUROPA opens its 27th edition on Oct. 18 in Metro Manila, Baguio, Iloilo, Cebu, and Bacolod. It will screen European films for free until Oct. 27.
This year, the festival showcases 20 films presented by Alliance Française de Manille, the Goethe Institut, the Instituto Cervantes, the Philippine Italian Association, and various European Union (EU) member states.
“There are many Overseas Filipino Workers living in the EU, so a lot of Filipinos have family there or have visited European cities. I think sometimes they have this image of Europe being either wealthy or in war. These movies can show the many issues in Europe,” said Ana Isabel Sanchez-Ruiz, deputy head of the EU Delegation, at the press launch on Oct. 10.
“There are unemployed people, places where public services don’t work, people who feel they are not free or respected. Europe is diverse and there are all kinds of situations the Filipino public can learn about,” she added.
First-time participants in the festival are Slovenia and Lithuania, while Ukraine is the guest country with two films in the lineup.
Dragan Barbutovski, Chargé d’Affaires of the newly established Slovenian Embassy to the Philippines, said that “it was honor to join the festival and share cultures through film.
“We might be thousands of miles apart but, at the end of the day, we have the same passion for certain things, the same emotions. Those are what bring us together,” he said at the press launch.
Cine Europa’s five screening locations are the Shangri-La Plaza mall cinema in Metro Manila, the University of the Cordilleras in Baguio, the University of San Agustin in Iloilo, the University of the Philippines in Cebu, and the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod.
Moviegoers can expect films of all genres, according to. Ms. Sanchez-Ruiz. “There is no particular theme, but we brought together a dynamic collection that offers unique stories reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of Europe.”
THE FILMS TO BE SHOWN ARE:• Austria’s Mermaids Don’t Cry (2022), directed by Franziska Pflaum, is a fantasy dramedy that follows supermarket saleswoman Annika who dreams of acquiring a glamorous mermaid fin amid her chaotic life.
• Belgium’s Souvenir (2016), directed by Bavo Defurne, is a dramedy about a once-famous singer who returns to the stage after a young boxer encourages her to.
• Cyprus’ The Man with the Answers (2021), directed by Stelios Kammitsis, is a road-trip drama that follows two men’s journey in the Italian countryside as one of them heads to Germany to find his estranged mother.
• Czech Republic’s She Came at Night (2023), directed by Jan Vejnar and Tomáš Pavlíček, is a horror film tinged with black humor that follows a couple whose lives are turned upside down when one of their mothers takes over their home.
• Denmark’s Long Story Short (2015), directed by May el-Toukhy and Maren Louise Käehne, is a dramedy about the tangled love lives of a group of friends told over the course of eight parties.
• Finland’s The Other Side of Hope (2017), directed by Aki Kaurismäki, is a drama about a Syrian refugee and a middle-aged Finnish salesman who discover humanity and kindness amidst adversity.
• France’s The Strange Case of Jacky Caillou (2022), directed by Lucas Delangle, is a French Alps-set drama where a young man who lives with his traditional healer grandmother hopes to perform a miracle of his own.
• Germany’s Sun and Concrete (2020), directed by David Wnendt, is a coming-of-age crime drama that follows a group of teens in Berlin who devise a high-stakes plan to escape poverty.
• Hungary’s Paw (2015), directed by Robert-Adrian Pejo, is a children’s film and family drama that follows the heartwarming journey of Zoli and his rescue dog Paw as they overcome various challenges.
• Ireland’s That They May Face the Rising Sun (2023), directed by Pat Collins, is a drama adapted from a novel by John McGahern which portrays a year in the life of a small Irish lakeside community in the 1970s.
• Italy’s Diabolik (2021), directed by Antonio and Marco Manetti, is a crime romance that follows the enigmatic superhero Diabolik and the alluring Eva Kant in 1960s Clerville, with Inspector Ginko as their foe.
• Lithuania’s Remember to Blink (2022), directed by Austėja Urbaitė, is a drama about a French couple that adopts Lithuanian children and hires a bilingual student to help them adapt, and the ensuing cultural tensions.
• Luxembourg’s Icarus (2022), directed by Carlo Vogele, is an animated film that intertwines Greek fables with Icarus at the center, as he encounters friends like the Minotaur and foes like King Minos.
• Poland’s Dangerous Gentlemen (2022), directed by Maciej Kawalski, is a crime comedy that follows four men in a mountain retreat as they wake up after a wild night of partying to find a dead man on their couch.
• Romania’s This World is My Arena (2023), directed by Tedy Necula, a biopic that follows the inspiring story of George Baltă, a paralyzed rugby player-turned-marathoner and motivational speaker.
• Slovenia’s The Man Without Guilt (2022), directed by Ivan Gergolet, a slowburn revenge drama about a widow whose husband died from asbestos exposure working as a caregiver for his former employer.
• Spain’s La Flota de Indias (2021), directed by Antonio Perez Molero, a documentary exploring the historical impact of the Spanish fleets that transformed the New World and fueled globalization over two centuries.
Sweden’s Tigers (2021), directed by Ronnie Sandahl, a drama that delves into the harsh world of professional soccer, where a young talent’s dreams turn into a nightmare of obsession and pressure.
• Ukraine’s Taste of Freedom (2024), directed by Alexander Berezan, a drama set in the vibrant streets of Lviv where a young cook pursues her dream of becoming a chef at a prestigious restaurant.
• Ukraine’s Another Franko (2021), directed by Igor Visnevsky, a historical drama centered on Peter Franko, the son of a renowned Ukrainian writer, whose life unfolds amid the events of World War II.
For more information and screening schedules, visit Cine Europa’s social media pages. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
