Película turns 20, brings back festival favorites

The popular Película Spanish Film Festival is just around the corner and one would’ve expected a grand celebration as the film festival marks its milestone 20th edition this year. But with the current situation amidst the pandemic imposed restrictions, the festival has to be content in holding everything online for the second year running.

While film enthusiasts still cannot flock over at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas, the traditional home of the festival for years, they can still log on to www.pelikula.es this October 1-10, 2021 to catch this edition’s selection for free.

As the festival migrated online last year, it has also expanded its scope with the inclusion of other territories in the Asia-Pacific region namely Thailand and Australia. This year sees Malaysia as the newest addition to the countries that can access the films for the duration of the festival.

Since Película is celebrating 20 years, on offer this edition are 20 films, a mix of contemporary feature length titles, a handful of audience favorites from past editions, and a few short films. There will be a couple of webinars as well.

Leading the lineup of the 11 movies in the main selection is the musical El cover which will open the festival on October 1, 2021.

El cover

Director: Secun de la Rosa

Cast: Àlex Monner, Marina Salas, Carolina Yuste, Lander Otaola, María Hervás, Susi Sánchez, Juan Diego, Carmen Machi, Pepe Ocio, Secun de la Rosa

Here are the rest of the films in the main section of the festival. Trailers, synopses, screening schedule, and other details can be viewed at the Película website.

A este lado del mundo

Director: David Trueba

Cast: Vito Sanz, Anna Alarcón, Ondina Maldonado, Joaquín Notario, Janfri Topera, Zidane Barry

Una vez más

Director: Guillermo Rojas

Cast: Silvia Acosta, Jacinto Bobo, Teresa Arbolí, Julia Rodríguez, Celia Vioque, Beatriz Arjona, Asier Iturriaga, Cristina Domínguez, Tatiana Sánchez Garland, Alejandro Sigüenza

Lina de Lima

Director: María Paz González

Cast: Magaly Solier, Emilia Ossandón

Observar las aves

Director: Andrea Martínez Crowther

Invisibles

Director: Gracia Querejeta

Cast: Adriana Ozores, Nathalie Poza, Emma Suárez

Tristesse

Director: Emilio Ruiz Barrachina

Cast: Enrique Simón, Miguelo García, Michel Díaz

Oscuro y lucientes

Director: Samuel Alarcón

15 horas

Director: Judith Colell

Cast: Sterlyn Ramirez, Marc Clotet, Chabela Estrella de Bisonó, Felix Germán, Stephany Liriano, Lidia Ariza

Ane

Director: David Pérez Sañudo

Cast: Patricia López Arnaiz, Mikel Losada, Jone Laspiur, Aia Kruse, Luis Callejo, Nagore Aranburu, Gorka Aguinagalde, Fernando Albizu, David Blanka, Iñaki Ardanaz

Antonio Machado: Los días azules

Director: Laura Hojman

Viewers can get to rate the films that they watched from the main selection. The highest rated film will win the Audience Award and be screened once again to close the festival.

Over the years, Película has introduced Philippine audiences to top caliber actors like Javier Cámara and Ricardo Darín whose films have been among those that have won the Audience Award in previous editions. This year sees the comeback of some their films as part of the Audience Award section. Here are the films who were voted as the best in past editions.

Campeones

Director: Javier Fesser

Cast: Javier Gutiérrez, Athenea Mata, Juan Margallo, Jesús Vidal Marín, Sergio Olmos, Julio Fernández Fabianista, Jesús Lago, Gloria Ramos, Alberto Nieto Ferrández, Fran Fuentes

Fuera de carta

Director: Nacho G. Velilla

Cast: Javier Cámara, Fernando Tejero, Lola Dueñas, Benjamín Vicuña

El secreto de sus ojos

Director: Juan José Campanella

Cast: Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Pablo Rago, Javier Godino, Guillermo Francella

También la lluvia

Director: Icíar Bollaín

Cast: Luis Tosar, Gael García Bernal, Juan Carlos Aduviri, Karra Elejalde, Carlos Santos, Raúl Arévalo

Un cuento chino

Director: Sebastián Borensztein

Cast: Ricardo Darín, Huang Sheng Huang, Muriel Santa Ana, Enric Rodríguez

Short films have always been a regular part of the festival and this year is no exception. Here are the four short films lined up for this edition.

Aninsri Daeng (Thailand)

Director: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke

Cast: Sarut Komalittipong, Atikhun Adulpocatorn, Ornanong Thaisriwong, Pathavee Thepkraiwan, Teeraphan Ngowjeenanan, Kullakan Kinrakhon

Tarang (Philippines)

Director: Arvin Belarmino

Cast: Soliman Cruz, Nikko Delos Santos, Nats Sitoy, Sunshine Teodoro, Mac Mendoza, Sure Manuel, Sonny Samonte, Kay Peralta, Micheal Odoño

Groundhog Night (Australia)

Director: Genevieve Clay-Smith, Rawley Reynolds

Cast: John Batchelor, Genevieve Clay-Smith, Emily Dash, Chris Haywood, Robyn Nevin

A la cara (Spain)

Director: Javier Marco

Cast: Sonia Almarcha, Manolo Solo

Aside from the screenings, the film makers of these shorts will be participating in a round table discussion at the webinar En Corto: Short films in the Philippines, Thailand, Australia and Spain.

Another webinar, about co-production possibilities between Asian films in Europe and Spanish films in Asia which will be attended by film industry personalities from Spain, Thailand, and the Philippines. Check the website for more details and the schedule of the webinars.

All films will be available for viewing for 48 hours after it’s premiere and will be shown in their original language with English subtitles.

Película is an initiative of Instituto Cervantes in Manila and Sydney, the Embassies of Spain in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia, and the AECID, in collaboration with ICAA, the Embassy of Mexico in the Philippines, the National Film Archive of Thailand, the Sydney Film Festival, the Travelling Film Fest (Australia), the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the UP Film Institute, the University of the Philippines and Intramuros Administration.

PPO's chamber music concert series finale on July 30

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra wraps up its Chamber Music Concert Series this July 30, 2021, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and PPO Facebook pages and at the CCP YouTube channel.

Featured artists at the seventh and final installment of the online concert series are trombone player Ricson Poonin and pianist Mary Anne Espina who will be performing Colors for Trombone by Bert Appermont.

The PPO Chamber Music Concert Series premiered on October 30, 2020 is the orchestra’s online alternative in bringing classical music to audiences here and worldwide during this time of the pandemic. The series also gave the orchestra members to perform chamber music which is music for small ensembles.

Visit the PPO and CCP’s Facebook pages and YouTube channel for previous performances of the PPO Chamber Music Concert Series.

PPO goes alternative/indie in online performance series

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra goes alternative/indie in the latest episode of PPO Spotlight: Virtual Pocket Performances premiering on July 23, 2021, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the PPO’s various online pages/channels.

To be hosted by classical crossover artist Lara Maigue, this edition will see PPO members perform a handful of local music from the alternative/indie scene namely With a Smile by the Eraserheads to be played by the duo of violinist Ayesa Cruz and harpist Madeline Jane Banta; Tadhana by Up Dharma Down (arranged by Naldy Rodriguez) to be performed by violinist Ma. Angelica Uson and cellist Herrick Ortiz; Halik ni Hudas  by Wolfgang (arranged by Glenn Aquias) to be played by cellist Giancarlo Gonzales; Salamat by The Dawn (arranged by Theodore Amper) to be performed by a quintet composed of violinists Christian Tan and Jose Carlo Tuazon, violist Rey Casey Concepcion, cellist Giuseppe Andre Diestro, and double bassist Vincent Dela Cruz, and lastly Harana by Eric Yaptangco to be played by the PPO Brass and Percussion section along with Abner Cruz at the electric bass.

Catch this and other past episodes of the PPO Spotlight: Virtual Pocket Performances at the PPO Facebook page and at the CCP’s YouTube Channel.

PPO online performance spotlights Manila Sound

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra goes back to the time when the Manila Sound rules supreme for the latest installment of the PPO Spotlight: Pocket Virtual Performances premiering online on July 9, 2021, 8:00 PM at the PPO Facebook Page and the Cultural Center of the Philippines' YouTube Channel.

With classical crossover recording artist Lara Maigue as host, members of the PPO perform a selection of OPM hits that embody the Manila Sound back in the 1970s-1980s namely TL Ako Sayo by Snaffu Rigor with bassoonist Frenvee Andra, Hotdog’s Ikaw Ang Miss Universe to be performed by the PPO Viola Section, Ang Buhay Ko by the folk group Asin to be played by the duo of violinist Dino Akira Decena and pianist Jascha Obieta Decena, Kapag Puso’y Sinugatan by Willy Cruz to be performed by basoonist Adolfo Mendoza, and VST Medley by VST & Co. to be performed by the PPO Brass Quintet & Percussion Section.