| Start: | Sep 11, '09 12:00p |
| End: | Sep 20, '09 9:30p |
| Location: | Shangri-La Plaza Mall Cineplex 1 |
Cine Europa, the tradition of bringing excellent European films to the Philippines, has now turned 12 years old and promises to provide Filipino movie enthusiasts with a range of powerful films which will surely touch everyone's hearts and minds.
Cine Europa opens on 10 September with public screenings from 11 to 20 September 2009 at the Shang Cineplex of Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City.
The film festival then goes to Liceo de Cagayan de Oro for the second time from 2 to 4 October and hits Ayala Center Cebu from 9 to 11 October.
In Manila, Cine Europa 12 will be opened by Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines, Mr Sven Malmberg, Minister, Political Affairs, Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok and Mr Alvaro Trejo, Deputy Head of Mission of Spain representing the Presidency of the European Union, Atty. Andy Bautista, Chairman and CEO of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation and Ms. Lala Fojas, Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation.
Ciné Europa 12 continues its tradition of further enhancing dialogue between European and Filipino cultures through the silver screen. Eighteen European films from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will further endear Europe to Cine Europa enthusiasts in Manila, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu.
This year's selection of movies, carefully handpicked to cater to the Filipino audiences, showcases the range and breadth of emotions from the different stories of love, laughter, hope, despair, survival, courage and, steadfastness. While approaches may vary from country to country, Filipino audiences will be able to empathise with the different characters in each of the films.
Mr. Gabriel Munuera Vinals, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines said that, in line with the 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation, this film festival hopes to promote creative and innovative ways to mirror the realities of life and to portray the shared values and tradition between Europe and the Philippines through the strength of the silver screen.
Meanwhile, Mr. Alvaro Trejo, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Spain and representing the EU Presidency said: ”Cine Europa showcases the heritage and diversity of Europe, because film, after all, is a universal language which portrays life’s realities and promotes the understanding of our distinct culture.”
Opening the festival is a Swedish film "Grabeen I Graven Bredvid" or "The Guy in the Grave Next Door" by Kjell Sundvall, a contemporary love story between a farmer and a city girl set in the countryside.
In line with the festival's goal of fostering a more vibrant and engaging rapport with Filipino stakeholders in the industry, the Goethe Institut in Manila together with the German Embassy and Instituto Cervantes will hold a seminar with Dr. Peter Zimmermann of Wuppertal University, Germany on 10 September (10:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm) and on 11 September (1 to 7pm) in Instituto Cervantes, 855 T. M. Kalaw St, Ermita, Manila.
The seminar "From the 'Cold War' to the Fall of the 'Iron Curtain' and the Berlin Wall: History and Film in Eastern, Western and the United Germany" is in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
This year's film festival has a new special feature that should prove particularly endearing to Cine Europa enthusiasts, as one lucky member of the audience will travel and tour Europe courtesy of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Rajah Travel Corporation.
Through the years, Cine Europa has earnestly experimented with different ways of reaching out to Filipino audiences and to enliven its programme of events. The festival has helped strengthen EU-Philippine cultural relations and has become a lasting gift to the Filipino people. Cine Europa, which started in 1998, remains a distinctive acknowledgement of the partnership of the European Union with the Philippines by way of sharing with the Filipino public the diversity and uniqueness of European film culture. Admission to the screenings is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cine Europa 12 is presented by the European Union Member States' Embassies and the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines, with Shangri-La Plaza Mall (Manila), Arts Council of Cebu and Liceo de Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao) as partner organisations. It is supported by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Rajch Travel Corporation, Yo Card and Click the City.
