Aga Muhlach, Alice Dixson starrer opens 5th Danish Film Festival

The Aga Muhlach and Alice Dixson starrer Nuuk, the first Filipino film shot in Greenland is set to make its world premiere at the 5th Danish Film Festival.

Danish Ambassador designate Grete Sillasen and Alice Dixson

Presented by the Embassy of Denmark, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Shangri-La Plaza, the 5th Danish Film Festival will screen Nuuk and nine other films from Denmark on October 9-13, 2019 at the Red Carpet in Shangri-La Plaza.

Danish Ambassador designate Grete Sillasen

The inclusion of Nuuk continues the tradition of Philippines-Denmark ties through cinema in the festival. In earlier editions, the film festival has shown Rosita with Filipina actress Mercedes Cabral in the lead. Last year, the Filipino movie Dagsin was part of the selection owing to the film's exploration of ideas by Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and French Existentialist Albert Camus.

Danish Ambassador designate Grete Sillasen, Veronica Velasco, Alice Dixson,
and Erwin Blanco

Here are the films to be screened at the 5th Danish Film Festival.

Nuuk

Director: Veronica Velasco

Cast: Aga Muhlach, Alice Dixson, Ujarneq Fleischer

Elaisa Svendsen (Alice Dixson) is a Filipina immigrant in Nuuk, Greenland struggling to survive the recent death of her husband. Abandoned by Karl (Ujarneq Fleischer) her only son, she tries to cope using alcohol and drugs. Her life changes when she meets Mark Alvarez (Aga Muhlach). Mark is a fellow Filipino fighting the loneliness that surrounds the city. Together, they find love in the cold and isolated place of Nuuk. When all seems perfect, Mark disappears without a trace.

Ordet

Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer

Cast: Henrik Malberg, Emil Hass Christensen, Birgitte Federspiel, Preben Lerdorff Rye, Cay Kristiansen, Ejner Federspiel, Gerda Nielsen, Sylvia Eckhausen, Ove Rud, Henry Skjær, Edith Trane, Ann Elisabeth Rud, Susanne Rud, Hanne Agesen

The three sons of devout Danish farmer Morten (Henrik Malberg) have widely disparate religious beliefs. Youngest son Anders (Cay Kristiansen) shares his father's religion, but eldest son Mikkel (Emil Hass Christensen) has lost his faith, while middle child Johannes (Preben Lerdorff Rye) has become delusional and proclaims that he is Jesus Christ himself. When Mikkel's wife, Inger (Birgitte Federspiel) goes into a difficult childbirth, everyone's beliefs are put to the test.

Fuglene over sundet/Across the Waters

Director: Nicolo Donato

Cast: David Dencik, Danica Curcic, Jakob Cedergren, Nicolas Bro, Laura Bro, Morten Holst, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Marijana Jankovic, Lars Brygmann, Morten Suurballe, Mads Riisom, Signe Egholm Olsen, Kristian Høgh Jeppesen, Anders Heinrichsen, Elliot Hove

The year is 1943 and rumors have it, that the Germans are about to deport all Danish Jews. The Jewish jazz musician Arne Itkin, his wife and their 5-year-old son quickly realize that they have to flee to safety in Sweden, in order to avoid the horrors of the concentration camps. But who can be trusted when Gestapo and Danish collaborators are on their heels to stop anyone from fleeing the country.

Jeg er William/I am William

Director: Jonas Elmer

Cast:: Alexander Magnússon, Amina Awan Abou Arrakha, Dorte Højsted, Niels-Martin Eriksen, Rasmus Bjerg, Stinne Henriksen

William lives with his uncle Nils. His father is dead and his mother is mentally unstable. Nils retired early and spends his day buying and selling stuff at a favourable price. Nils owes some gangsters money and they want their debt paid back.

Darling

Director: Birgitte Stærmose

Cast: Danica Curcic, Astrid Grarup Elbo, Gustaf Skarsgård, Ulrich Thomsen

Darling is the moving love story of a dancer on the rollercoaster ride of her life, a drama about the rise and fall of a modern woman as she summons the courage to face her greatest trial.

Der kommer en dag /The Day Will Come

Director: Jesper W. Nielsen

Cast: Sofie Gråbøl, Lars Mikkelsen, Lars Ranthe, Sonja Richter, David Dencik

The year is 1967, and a blooming youth culture is on the rise. In a working-classneighborhood of Copenhagen, two inseparable brothers, Elmer and Erik – are removed from their ill mother and put in the Gudbjerg Home for Boys, a place frozen in time. Here, Headmaster Heck practices his own brand of philosophy and regulation. Unruly boys are transformed into obedient citizens at any cost. From their very first day, the boys understand that their freedom is lost and a daily struggle for survival has begun. The boys try to live under the radar, but Elmer’s vivid astronaut dreams and clubfoot constantly gets him in trouble. The brothers realize they are on their own and a simmering revolt slowly forms. Armed only with a vivid imagination and a fickle hope the boys engage in the frightening battle against Headmaster Heck and his lethal tyranny.

Lykke-Per/A Fortunate Man

Director: Bille August

Cast: Julie Christiansen, Anders Hove, Jens Albinus, Esben Smed Jensen, Ole Lemmeke, Katrine Greis-Rosenthal, Rasmus Bjerg, Peter Plaugborg, Tommy Kenter, Morten Hauch-Fausbøll

On his quest for happiness, Per decides to leave Jutland and an upbringing in a strict religious home. He runs from his family and his patriarch father, and sets sail towards Copenhagen to become an engineer. Parallel to his studies, he works on a visionary energy project based on wind and wave energy, a project so much ahead of its time, tha professors consider him insane and far too self-confident. However, Per’s project becomes a succes and he marries the beautiful Jakobe who is a part of a wealthy Jewish family. One would imagine that Per’s happiness now is made. But Per’s childhood keeps haunting him and his dogmatic family cannot accept his new life. Despite his luck and success, Per is unable to fully cut the strings to his strict religious background, and he now fears that he will repeat his father’s patriarchist behavior.

Charmøren/The Charmer

Director: Milad Alami

Cast: Ardalan Esmaili, Soho Rezanejad, Susan Taslimi, Lars Brygmann, Stine Fischer Christensen, Amalie Lindegård, Dan Boie Kratfeldt, Jesper Lohmann,Nastja Arcel

Esmail, a young Iranian man, is desperately trying to meet women who can secure his stay in Denmark. As time runs out, he falls in love and his past catches up with him.

Team Hurricane

Director: Annika Berg

Cast: Eja Penelope Roepstorff, Ida Glitre, Maja Leth Bang, Mathilde Linnea Daugaard Jensen, Elise Pedersen, Sara Morling, Zara Munch Bjarnum

Experimental teen drama that celebrates teenage girls who dare to be loud, annoying, vulgar and vulnerable.

Cirkeline, Coco og det vilde næsehorn/ Circleen, Coco and the Wild Rhinoceros

Director: Jannik Hastrup

Cirkeline finds a bestie with the airs of a princess, and Ingolf meets a rhinoceros who’s fed up with always being the little one. They set off together on a journey that teaches them that being in charge isn’t always a piece of cake and that even the teeniest of rhinos can prove the greatest of heroes.

Here is the schedule of screenings of the 5th Danish Film Festival.

October 9, 2019

7:30 PM Nuuk

October 10, 2019

2:30 PM I Am William

4:30 PM Darling

6:40 PM The Day Will Come

9:00 PM A Fortunate Man

October 11, 2019

2:40 PM Team Hurricane

4:50 PM The Charmer

7:00 PM Across the Waters

9:00 PM A Fortunate Man

October 12, 2019

2:00 PM Ordet

4:30 PM Nuuk

7:00 PM Darling

9:00 PM I Am William

October 13, 2019

2:45 PM Circleen, Coco and the Wild Rhinoceros

4:20 PM Team Hurricane

6:30 PM Nuuk

9:00 PM Across the Waters

Admission to the screenings is for free on a first come, first served basis.

The 5th Danish Film Festival is presented by Embassy of Denmark Manila, the Danish Film Institute, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Shangri-La Plaza.

Teenagers take center stage at upcoming MSO concert

The youth take center stage at Manila Symphony Orchestra's upcoming season gala concert this October 6, 2019, 6:00 PM at the Hyundai Hall, Areté located at the Ateneo de Manila University campus.

Billed as Sibelius & Beethoven's 5th, the third concert of the season sees the 19 year old Finnish-Filipino prodigy Tarmo Peltokoski make his Philippine debut conducting the MSO works by Jean Sibelius and Ludwig van Beethoven. Peltokoski is a protégé of the legendary Finnish conducting legend Jorma Panula.

Also featured in this concert is another teenager, 15 year old violinist Jeanne Rafaella Marquez, first prize winner at the 2018 National Music Competitions for Young Artists, performing Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47.

Other pieces to be performed in the concert are Sibelius' Lemminkäinen's Return, Op. 22/4 and Ludwig van Beethoven's extremely popular Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67.

The golden (and not so golden) moments at CCP's 50th anniversary concert

Bulawan: The CCP 50th Anniversary Concert performers

One of the events lined up for the year long celebrations of the Cultural Center of the Philippines's 50th Gold Anniversary was Bulawan: The CCP 50th Anniversary Concert, the two night extravaganza that not just brought out stellar performances from some of the country's finest artists but also highlighted the aging structure's need for major upgrades

Clocking for three hours, the Loy Arcenas directed grand spectacle hosted by the trio of Celeste Legaspi, Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, and Nonie Buencamino showcased different facets of Filipino art ranging from the traditional to the global.

But technical problems, underutilized talents, and a bit of behind the scenes drama put a dent to this golden affair.

The Golden

The truly golden in my book had to be Joanna Ampil, who delivered a faultless medley of West End tunes from Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ, Superstar, Les Misérables, and Cats and remained unfazed despite some problems with the microphone. She gave a truly splendid performance that one would've snagged tickets to her upcoming production right away although too bad that it will be at another venue which is not the CCP.

The Good

Compared to other CCP resident companies, I rarely see performances by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company. That is why it was great to see them in a substantial section composed of various Philippine dances while being accompanied by the MusiKalinangan Philippine Gong and Bamboo Ensemble, the Bayanihan Rondalla Ensemble, the Philippine Madrigal Singers and Madz etal choirs conducted by Mark Anthony Carpio.

Also given a huge chunk of the program was Ballet Philippines with an excerpt of Carmina Burana choreographed by National Artist for Dance, Alice Reyes. With live music courtesy of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herminigildo Ranera, the double choir of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and Madz etal choirs, as well as baritone Byeong-In Park and soprano Rachelle Gerodias, this portion was as close as an actual CCP resident company production that one could get at Bulawan. Coincidentally, BP is also celebrating their 50th Anniversary this season as well.

It is always a delight to see friends and familiar faces namely singers Lara Maigue, Poppert Bernadas, and Stefanie Quintin, former Ballet Philippines principal Candice Adea (with Julio Blanes from West Australia Ballet), and pianist and former CCP President Raul Sunico perform at the CCP Main Theater stage once again.

Not to be left out as part of the good are the inexpensive ticket prices (P50 & P100) for the balcony seats during the People's Gala. For less than a price of admission at the cinema, one was able to see a live performance and also meet some of the performers at the lobby after the show which is an added value and enriches the whole experience I might add.

The Not So Golden

The sound glitches prevalent throughout the evening, that prompted Celeste Legaspi to go off script at one point to stress the need to raise funds for the CCP, was truly bothersome.

My excitement to see excerpts of Noli Me Tangere by the original Maria Clara Monique Wilson with Gian Magdangal who was one of the most current Ibarras quickly fizzled by how brief their portions were. Members of Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company barely registered to the audience as they just recited a few lines of Mi Ultimo Adiós behind a sheer curtain.

Unfortunately, there was also some behind the scenes drama that led to the Philippine Ballet Theatre, a CCP resident company, not participating in this production.

Bulawan just kicked off the year long celebrations for CCP's 50th Anniversary. Expect more productions and events to come as the festivities continue until September 2020. And by that time, may the microphones and sound glitches be a thing of the first fifty years.