Instituto Cervantes de Manila director Francisco Javier López Tapia (rightmost) with the executives of the nonprofit organization. Image: Hannah Mallorca/INQUIRER.net
With the return of the Manila Spanish Film Festival on its 23rd edition, it hopes to serve as the bridge between Filipino and Spanish cultures by fostering a community of cinephiles and film enthusiasts coming together with their passion for filmmaking.
The Manila Spanish Film Festival, which will run from October 5 to 13 at the Edsa Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong, follows the theme “Pelicula>Pelikula.” Despite the rise of streaming, Instituto Cervantes de Manila director Francisco Javier López Tapia still believes in the “unique and romantic” experience of connecting with different cultures through an intimate space.
“I think the big screen is something related to the DNA of the festival. When we think of ‘la pelicula,’ we think about people gathering together. We think about the human experience of sharing a film and meeting some of the people who have been part of the film,” he said. “Streaming is a part of all of us. But we’re still very focused on this unique and romantic thing of watching a film in a certain space.”
A scene from “Robot Dreams,” the opening film of the 23rd Manila Spanish Film Festival. Image: Courtesy of Instituto Cervantes de Manila
Touching on the goal of the festival, Tapia said the themes of diversity and loneliness are topics that Filipino cinephiles can relate to, which are featured in the 25 films that will be screened to the public. “The themes we present are more on diversity which is something very Filipino and Spanish. We think that another topic [that Filipinos and Spanish relate to] is loneliness.”
“Many films are talking about this kind of society which is crowded and always surrounded by people,” he continued. “But at the end of the day, when you arrive home, you are one with your [loneliness]. I think that can also be something as Filipino and very Spanish.”
Here are the official films that will be screened in the festival:
October 5 (Saturday)
“Fuenteovejuna (The Sheep Well)” – 5:00 p.m.
“Robot Dreams” – 7:30 p.m.
October 6 (Sunday)
“Carmen” – 2:30 p.m.
“7 mesas de billar frances (Seven Billiard Tables)” – 5:00 p.m.
“La llegada (Upon Arrival)” – 7:30 p.m.
October 7 (Monday)
“Loli Tormenta (Stormy Lola)” – 2:30 p.m.
“20.00 especies de abejas (20,000 Species of Bees)” – 5:00 p.m.
“Te estoy amando locamente (Love & Revolution)” – 7:30 p.m.
October 8 (Tuesday)
“Benito Perez Buñuel” – 2:30 p.m.
“Hispanoamerica, canto de vida y esperanza (Hispanoamerica, song of love and hope)” – 5:00 p.m.
“Las hijas (Sister & Sister)” – 7:30 p.m.
October 9 (Wednesday)
“El amor brujo” – 2:30 p.m.
“Cerrar los ojos (Close Your Eyes)” – 5:00 p.m.
“Pacarrete” – 7:30 p.m.
October 10 (Thursday)
“El maestro que prometio el mar (The Teacher Who Promised the Sea)” – 2:30 p.m.
“La estrella azul (The Blue Star)” – 5:00 p.m.
“La llegada (Upon Arrival)” – 7:30 p.m.
A scene from the film “7 mesas de billar frances (Seven Billiard Tables),” one of the festival’s featured films. Image: Courtesy of Instituto Cervantes de Manila
October 11 (Friday)
“El publico” – 2:30 p.m.
“Dispararon al pianista (They Shot the Piano Player)” – 5:00 p.m.
“Puan” – 7:30 p.m.
October 12 (Saturday)
“Robot Dreams” – 2:30 p.m.
“Casa en llamas (A House on Fire)” – 5:00 p.m.
“Rioja, la tierra de los mil vinos (Rioja, Land of the Thousand Wines)” – 7:30 p.m.
October 13 (Sunday)
“En corto” – 2:30 p.m.
Audience Choice Awards – 5:00 p.m.
“La estrella azul (The Blue Star)” – 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the full-length Filipino film “Transients” by Kyle Romero and the short film “Primetime Mother” by Sonny Calvento will also be shown to the public throughout its run.
Accompanied by Filipino film students, Spanish writer and director Mario Torrecillas will also share his expertise in filmmaking in a free workshop for aspirants ages 6 to 14 years old.