Monday, January 31, 2022

Manila Pianos Artist Series presents clarinetist Herald Sison in recital


The Manila Pianos Artist Series presents clarinetist Herald Sison in a recital premiering online on February 5, 2022, 7:300 PM.

Billed as Beginnings, this recital departs from the often performed classical and romantic repertoire and will instead feature works from the 20th century namely Paul Hindemith's Clarinet Sonata and Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto.


Pianist Dingdong Fiel is the collaborative artist in this recital.

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Tenor Radnel Ofalsa, pianist Raul Sunico perform in online fundraising concert


Following the success of the fundraising concert with violinist Adrian Ong, the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP) presents Ofalsa at Sunico, an online fundraising concert for FCCP scholars featuring tenor Radnel Ofalsa and pianist Raul Sunico on February 5, 2022, 8:00 PM.

Radnel Ofalsa, an FCCP scholar, is an alumnus of the UST Conservatory of Music and is currently taking his Masters in Voice at the Mannes College of Music in New York, USA.

Raul Sunico is the Scholarship Committee Director of the FCCP. Also featured in the online performance are sopranos Athena Marsha Macatangay and Donna Klariz Baluyut.

A minimum donation of P1000 deposited to the FCCP Metrobank account 292 3 29280045 3 will gain access to the online performance via Zoom. A copy of the deposit slip should be sent to fccpoffice@yahoo.com. FCCP members can add the donation amount to their annual membership fee.

Saturday, January 29, 2022

CCP opens National Arts Month with Masayang Kabukiran


The Cultural Center of the Philippines in cooperation with the Tribung Pilipino Cultural Foundation welcomes the National Arts Month with Masayang Kabukiran, an online performance of Philippine art songs premiering this February 1, 2022, 6:00 PM at the CCP Facebook page.

This production features sopranos Rachel Gerodias and Jasmine Salvo, baritone Byeong-In Park, tenor Arman Ferrer, and the Kabataang Gitarista Ensemble composed of David Tiongson, Laurence Cadiente, Edel Mark, and Daryll Tiongson.

Masayang Kabukiran brings online the concept of Harana sa Dapit Hapon, a series of afternoon concerts showcasing Filipino music such as the kundiman, harana, balitaw, danza, and other love songs by Filipino composers, that was staged at the CCP Main Theater Lobby back in 2015.

Tribung Pilipino Cultural Foundation is headed by Danny Dolor, nationalist art patron and recipient of the Tanging Parangal at the 2020 Gawad CCP Para sa Sining.

Monday, January 24, 2022

French horn player Ernani Pascual performs at PPO Recital Series III


The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra rings in the new year with the third installment of the PPO Recital Series premiering on January 28, 2022, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and PPO's Facebook pages.

To be featured this month is French horn player Ernani Pascual who will perform Hermann Eichborn's Sonate für Waldhorn und Klavier, Op.7. Pianist Mary Anne Espina will be the collaborating artist for this online performance.

Ernani Pascual is a multiple winner of the National Music Competitions for Young Artist (NAMCYA) bagging 3rd Prize in the Horn Solo Category and 1st Prize the Chamber category. He was part of the orchestra in the Manila staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. He performed with the PPO as Acting Principal during the orchestra's historic debut at Carnegie Hall. He is currently the Assistant Principal Horn of the PPO.

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Blockbuster Chinese films at the 16th Spring Film Festival


As the year of the Tiger approaches, a blockbuster lineup of Chinese films roars at the big screen and online at the 16th Spring Film Festival this January 24-31, 2022.

Organized and presented by the Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, Ateneo Celadon, and the Chinatown Museum, along with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Jesuit Communications Foundation Inc., Film Development Council of the Philippines, Red Carpet, and Shangri-La Plaza, this year's edition will feature a diverse selection of six films that are certified Chinese box office hits.

The films will be shown at the Red Carpet cinemas at the Shangri-La Plaza and will also be streamed online via Vimeo starting January 25, 2022.

Offering more insight into Chinese culture, there will be a couple of side events offered during the film festival. These include The Chinese Lion Dance: Myth, Magic, and Martial Arts with Mr. Gilbert Jacob Que happening on January 25, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM and a Lantern Workshop with Dr. Ulysses Yu happening on January 28, 2022. Prizes can be won by watching online and answering trvia questions. Speaking of prizes, voting for the Digital Art Contest will go on until January 28, 2022 over at the Spring Film Festival Facebook page.

A Gala Night and also a Culminating Night are scheduled on January 24, 2022, 8:00-8:50 PM and January 29, 2022, 8:00-9:00 PM respectively.

Here are the films lined up for the 16th Spring Film Festival.

The Captain/中国机长 (2019)


Director: Andrew Lau
Cast: Zhang Hanyu, Oho Ou, Du Jiang, Yuan Quan, Zhang Tian'ai, Li Qin, Zhang Yamei, Yang Qiru

Passengers and crew aboard a Chinese airline start to panic when the windshield shatters shortly after takeoff. As the temperature plummets and people lose consciousness, the strong-willed captain does whatever he can to land the plane safely.

How Long Will I Love U/超时空同居 (2018)


Director: Lun Su
Cast: Jia Ying Lei, Li Ya Tong

A man and a woman living in the same apartment nearly 20 years apart wake one day to find that their timelines have merged, and they're in the same place and time.

Ne Zha/哪吒之魔童降世 (2019)


Director: Yu Yang
Cast: Lü Yanting, Joseph, Han Mo, Chen Hao, Lü Qi, Zhang Jiaming, Yang Wei

The Primus extracts a Mixed Yuan Bead into a spirit bead and a demon bead. The spirit bead can be reincarnated in human to help King Zhou establish a new dynasty, the demon bead will create a devil and harm human. Ne Zha is the one who should be spirit bead hero but he becomes a devil incarnate, because the spirit bead and the demon bead is switched.

Pegasus/飞驰人生 (2019)


Director: Han Han
Cast: Shen Teng, Huang Jingyu, Yin Zheng, Zhang Benyu, Yin Fang

After enduring a five-year suspension, a once-legendary race car driver returns to the track against a brand new generation of opponents.

Shadow/影 (2018)


Director: Yi-Mou Zhang
Cast: Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai, Wang Qianyuan, Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong, Leo Wu, Wang Jingchun

To finally achieve victory over a rival kingdom, a brilliant general devises an intricate plan involving his wife, a look-alike, and two kings.

The Wandering Earth/流浪地球 (2019)


Director: Frant Gwo
Cast: Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie, Ng Man-tat, Zhao Jinmai, Wu Jing, Qu Jingjing

When the sun dies out, the people of Earth build giant thrusters to move the planet out of orbit and sail to a new star system. After 2,500 years, young people continue the fight for everyone's survival.

Here is the schedule of the screenings at the Red Carpet, Shangri-La Plaza.

January 25, 2022
12:00 PM The Wandering Earth
2.35 PM How Long Will I Love U
5:00 PM Pegasus

January 26, 2022
11:30 AM Shadow
2:00 PM The Captain
4:30 PM Ne Zha

January 27, 2022
11:50 AM Pegasus
2:20 PM Shadow
4:50 PM The Wandering Earth

January 28, 2022
12:20 PM The Captain
2:50 PM Ne Zha
5:20 PM How Long Will I Love U

January 29, 2022
11:45 AM How Long Will I Love U
2:15 PM The Wandering Earth
4:45 PM The Captain

January 30, 2022
12:20 PM Ne Zha
2:50 PM Pegasus
5:20 PM Shadow

January 31, 2022
11:45 AM Pegasus
2:15 PM How Long Will I Love U
4:45 PM Ne Zha

Here are the links and passwords for the online screenings at Vimeo.

The Captain
Password: SPRINGFILM2022_TheCaptain511

How Long Will I Love U
Password: SPRINGFILM2022_HowLong1515

Ne Zha
Password: SPRINGFILM2022_NeZha351

Pegasus
Password: SPRINGFILM2022_Pegasus022

Shadow
Password: SPRINGFILM2022_Shadow383

The Wandering Earth
Password: SPRINGFILM2022_Wander096

The 16th Spring Film Festival is presented by the Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, Ateneo Celadon—the premier Chinese-Filipino organization of Ateneo, and the Chinatown Museum. Co-Presenters include the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Jesuit Communications Foundation Inc., Film Development Council of the Philippines, Red Carpet, and Shangri-La Plaza.

Sunday, January 16, 2022

CROSSCUT ASIA serves culinary themed film festival online


The Japan Foundation Asia Center and Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) are set to serve a flavorful selection of films across Asia at the CROSSCUT ASIA Delicious! Online Film Festival from January 21, 2022 to February 3, 2022.

CROSSCUT ASIA was originally a section of the TIFF from 2014-2019, showcasing Asian cinema with a focus on specific Asian countries, directors, and or themes. This 2022, it makes its return with a selection of thirteen films in two programs namely the Special Edition featuring "delicious" culinary themed films and Encore! featuring a selection from past editions of CROSSCUT ASIA.

Access to the online screening will be via the CROSSCUT ASIA website with registration starting on January 18, 2022, 12:00 PM JST.

All films will be in their original language with subtitles in English and Japanese with films having additional subtitles in other Asian languages. Not all films will be available to view in all territories.

Here are the films for Program 1: Special Edition.

Aruna & Her Palate (Indonesia/2018)

©CJ Entertainment, Palari Films
In cooperation with Osaka Asian Film Festival

Director: Edwin
Cast: Dian Sastrowardoyo, Oka Antara, Nicholas Saputra

Aruna is sent on a research trip to investigate the outbreak of avian flu. Joined by her friends, her trip becomes a culinary journey of famous regional dishes across Indonesia. The four friends taste black soup in Java and crab noodles in Kalimantan. The road movie is directed by Edwin, whose latest film Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, won the Golden Leopard at Locarno Film Festival in 2021.

Balut Country (Philippines/2015)

©Solar Pictures

Director: Paul Sta. Ana
Cast: Rocco Nacino, Ronnie Quizon, Vincent Magbanua, Archi Adamos

A son inherits a large duck farm from his late father. Having left home for life in the city to pursue a career as a musician, he returns to his hometown intending to sell the property. But the grand landscape begins to change his heart. Balut, a Filipino soul food, is a fertilized duck egg boiled after the embryo develops. The film was screened in CROSSCUT ASIA 2015.

Not available for viewing in the Philippines.
Film is also part of the Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA program.

Kampai! Sake Sisters (Japan/2019)

©2019 KAMPAI! SAKE SISTERS PRODUCTION COMMITTEE
World Sales: SYNCA Creations Inc.

Director: Konishi Mirai
Cast: Imada Miho, Chiba Marie, Rebekah Wilson-Lye

The world of Japanese sake brewing has long been off-limits to women. In this uplifting and touching documentary, a new generation of women shine in the traditional and esoteric business, inspiring the viewer with the strength to face today's challenges. The film is a sequel to Kampai! for the Love of Sake, which toured the world after its premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.

Not available for viewing in the Philippines

My Love is Soup (Thailand/2020)

©MPictures Co., Ltd.

Director: Kriangkrai Monwichit
Cast: Hussawee Pakrapongpisan, Sassanee Virachat, Pitisak Yaowananon, Suttida Kasemsan Na Ayutthaya

Minnie finds a job in a fancy restaurant despite her lack of cooking skills. After making a major blunder that jeopardizes the restaurant's reputation, she tries to restore it by finding the secret soup recipe of her great-grandfather, who was a royal chef. This heartwarming comedy entertains viewers with culinary images from Thailand's deep south, with its large Muslim population, as well as behind-the-scenes footage in a restaurant kitchen.

Namets! (Yummy!) (Philippines/2008)


Director: Jay Abello
Cast: Angel Jacob, Christian Vasquez, Peque Gallaga

In Bacolod City on the island of Negros, the Philippines, an Italian restaurant is lost through a debt and transformed into a restaurant featuring traditional local cuisine. This romantic comedy is a treat for the eyes, with splendid presentations of Negrense dishes that will delight epicureans. The film participated in the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, the gateway to success in thriving Filipino independent film circles.

A River Changes Course (Cambodia, USA/2013)

©2013 MIGRANT FILMS and
The DOCUMENTATION CENTER OF CAMBODIA

Director: Kalyanee Mam

A documentary portraying the lives of three young Cambodians, this film captures daily images of people eating, working and making a living, while revealing the social problems of overfishing, deforestation, poverty and debt. It won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize for documentaries at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Wanton Mee (Singapore/2015)

©Zhao Wei Films

Director: Eric Khoo
Cast: Koh Boon Pin, Bill Teoh, Tammie Chew

A middle-aged food critic captures Singapore's traditions and development, while rediscovering his career and life through interviews with street-food hawkers. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Eric Khoo, this ambitious docufiction features a rich variety of street foods, from diverse noodle dishes such as wanton mee and laksa, to foods that reflect the country's multiethnic diversity, such as fish head curry and nasi lemak.

Here are the films for Program 2: Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA

Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock & Roll (USA, Cambodia/2014)


Director: John Pirozzi
Cast: Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Serey Sothea, Bayon Band

Through the eyes, words and songs of its popular music stars of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock & Roll examines and unravels Cambodia's recent tragic past.

Invisible (Japan, Philippines/2015)

©Solar Pictures
In cooperation with Fukuoka City

Director: Lawrence Fajardo
Cast: Allen Dizon, Ces Quesada, Bernardo Bernardo, JM De Guzman

Invisible tells the story of four Filipino migrant workers in Japan, a crucial encounter that mirrors the difficult challenges that confront the "Pinoy" diaspora.

Pete Teo Special (Malaysia/2008-2013)

©2009 Redbag Music Sdn Bhd.

Directors: Ho Yuhang, Yasmin Ahmad, Amir Muhammad, Linus Chung, Liew Seng Tat, Desmond Ng, Kamal Sabran, Tan Chui Mui, Woo Ming Jin, James Lee, Benji & Bahir, Johan John, Khairil Bahar, Nam Ron, Suleiman Brothers (15Malaysia), and others

15Malaysia consists of 15 short films made by Malaysian filmmakers. Produced and released by Pete Teo in 2009, these films revolutionized the media and political cultures in Malaysia.

The Pete Teo Special includes other shorts (Vote!, Malaysia Day: Slipstream, Here in My Home, I Go) in which Pete Teo was involved.

Tang Wong (Thailand/2013)

©Song Sound Production

Director: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee
Cast: Sompob Sittiarjarn, Siripat Kuhavichanun, Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich, Anawat Patanawanichkul, Natarat Lakha

Tang Wong is a comedic drama that centers around four high school boys. They have prayed before the Luang Poo idol at the spirit house. When their wishes come true, they must repay the debt by performing a traditional Thai dance...

Three Sassy Sisters (Indonesia/2016)

©KalyanaShiraFilms/SAFilms

Director: Nia Dinata
Cast: Shanty Paredes, Tara Basro, Tatyana Akman, Rio Dewanto, Reuben Elishama, Richard Kyle

Usmar Ismail's Three Sisters (Tiga Dara) was first released in 1956. Nia Dinata, who grew up watching the film in reruns on Indonesian TV and was very inspired by it, has created an homage to her favorite director.

Trap (Philippines/2015)


Director: Brillante Ma Mendoza
Cast: Nora Aunor, Julio Diaz, Aaron Rivera

In the horrendous aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan, survivors are left to search for the dead while keeping their sanity intact, and protecting what little faith there may be left.

CROSSCUT ASIA will also have special content of related content that includes talks, interviews, and other food related features.

One side event is the online streaming of Suzuki Daisuke: Diary of an Ambassador's Chef, presented by Japan Foundation, Manila. Hosted by renowned chef Reggie Aspiras and featuring an interview with Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, the film will premiere on January 21, 2022 at the JFM's YouTube channel and Facebook Page.

Suzuki Daisuke: Diary of an Ambassador's Chef 公邸料理人の日記


Director: Martika Ramirez Escobar

Diary of an Ambassador's Chef tells the story of food and cultural diplomacy through a day in the life of Chef Suzuki Daisuke, who works at the Japanese Ambassador's residence. On his fifth year of being based in the bustling city of Manila, he has concocted and devised innovative and surprising dishes fusing the best of Filipino and Japanese cuisine.


January 21, 2022 also sees the launch of a Japanese language version of PELIKULA, a journal on Philippine cinema, published annually by the University of the Philippines Film Institute.

Supported by the Japan Foundation, Manila, the upcoming journal will include five articles by Filipino authors translated into Japanese, namely:

Life, Love and Labor: Depicting the OFW Subcultures in Japan in Contemporary Philippine Films by Alona Guevarra

Temporal Technologies: Toward Southeast Asian Science Fiction Cinema by Jasmine Nadua Trice

Shaping Filipino Regional Cinema: Film Festival Programming in Cinema Rehiyon by Katrina Ross Tan

Rebels With a Cause: Filipino political film collectives and their cinema for the people by Julian Bato

Philippine Cinema in the Age of Media Deliveries: Streaming Platforms from the Philippines since the COVID-19 Pandemic by Icho Pascual

The Japanese version of PELIKULA journal will be made available through the PELIKULA website and also through the JFM social media sites.

CROSSCUT ASIA Delicious! Online Film Festival is presented by the Japan Foundation Asia Center and Tokyo International Film Festival in cooperation with the Embassy of the Philippines in Japan, the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Japan, the Royal Thai Embassy in Japan.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Manila Pianos Artist Series presents Ella Gabrielle Gaw in recital


Manila Pianos Artist Series presents pianist Ella Gabrielle Gaw in an online recital premiering on January 15, 2022, 7:30 PM.

Currently a student of Prof. Anthony Yu Say, Ella had her start with the piano at age 4 1/2. Since then, she has made strides by winning the Gold Prize in the Seattle Piano Competition, 2021, Silver Prize in the 2nd Bangkok International Piano Competition, 2021, 2nd prize in the Clara Schumann International Piano Competition 2021, and 3rd prize PTGP Piano Competition 2019.


Her recital will consist of Johann Sebastian Bach's 15 Two-Part Inventions, BWV 772-786, Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49 No. 2, and excerpts from Augusto Espino's Guhit-Tugtugin.

Monday, January 10, 2022

RAd views La paranza dei bambini/Piranhas


One of the goals I've been setting at the start of each year is to improve my Italian. Throughout the years, watching Italian movies through various film festivals in here like Moviemov, Cine Europa, and Venice Film Festival in Manila is a way for me to immerse myself with the language.

To ring in 2022, I decided to watch the film La paranza dei bambini/Piranhas by Claudio Giovannesi. This movie, based on Roberto Saviano's novel The Piranhas: The Boy Bosses of Naples, made a splash at the 69th Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival with Giovannesi, Saviano, along with Maurizio Braucci bagging the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay.

The film centers on 15 year old Nicola (Francesco di Napoli), who leads a ragtag group of teenage hooligans, as they inch their way to the world of the criminal underworld in Naples. Quite predictably, Nicola ascends the ranks in the mob but eventually realizes that he is out of his depth and that there is no way out for him anymore.

I realized during the early minutes of the film on that this was not a good way to immerse myself with the Italian language as the spoken dialogue is mostly in the Neapolitan dialect which is notably different from it. But just like Nicola, it is too late for me to go back so I let myself get immersed with the fate of these young gangster wannabes.

Although I prepared myself for disturbing amount of violence, the film was relatively tame with the edges seemingly rounded off to be more palatable to a teenage audience. This leads me to mention a previous work by Roberto Saviano, Gomorrah, a worldwide sensation that is said to have not held back in its depiction of the mafia. Most reviews of La paranza dei bambini/Piranhas were rather lukewarm partially because of how it pales compared to Gomorrah. This is more than enough to make me put Gomorrah on my future Italian films to watch this year. Although I have to line up something else not in Neapolitan that will help me with my Italian immersion before I dig in to Gomorrah. For now, I will read Piranhas, the novel first to see if it adds more dimension to the movie.

Affiliate Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, this post contains affiliate links. A small commission is earned when purchasing through these links with no additional cost to the consumer.

La paranza dei bambini/Piranhas is available in Blu-ray and DVD formats.



The Piranhas: The Boy Bosses of Naples: A Novel by Roberto Saviano is available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions.


Saturday, January 01, 2022

Manila Pianos Artist Series greets the New Year with the Mighty Trombone


The Manila Pianos Artist Series greets 2022 with the online concert of trombonist Lio Alumno in The Mighty Trombone premiering on January 2, 2022, 7:30 PM.

Accompanied by pianist Dingdong Fiel, Alumno will perform Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Concerto for Trombone and Military Band, James Edward Curnow's Fantasy for Trombone and Piano, and Alexandre Guilmant's Morceau Symphonique, Op. 88.


Back in August 2021, Lio Alumno bagged the 1st Prize in the solo category of the Malaysia International Virtual Band Competition. He is currently a student at the UST Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Ricson Poonin.
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