With the continued halting of cinema operations around the Philippines, Cine Europa – a film festival focused on showcasing on movies from the European Union (EU) – is holding its 24th edition online for the second year.
The festival, which is currently ongoing until September 29, 2021, is an initiative by the EU Delegation and the EU Member States Embassies, together with Goethe-Institut Manila, the Philippine-Italian Association, and Instituto Cervantes de Manila.
Once again, the participating films of Cine Europa will be screening for free at the Cine Europa website, wherein 17 new titles will showcase the diversity of the European culture.
The films in this year’s Cine Europa lineup are: The Czech Republic’s Vlastníci (Owners), based on the play The Society of Owners gives insight on “Czech mentality”; Sweden’s Catwalk, which follows Emma Örtlund and her journey to becoming a model despite her disability; Spain’s El Cuadro (The Painting), which probes Velázquez’s masterpiece Las Meninas; O Que Arde (Fire Will Come), a co-production of Spain, France, Luxembourg, which follows a recently released prisoner whose dream of a quiet life is spoiled by a fire; Poland’s The Lure, which follows two mermaid sisters who shift into their human form and face cruel and bloody choices; Belgium’s Nos Batailles (Our Struggles), which follows Olivier and how he deals with children, job and life after his wife abandons the family; Hungary’s Trezon, a tale of unexpected twists; Denmark’s Vores mand i Amerika (The Good Traitor) which depicts the country’s neutralist policy; Greece’s I Doulia tis (Her Job), which follows a working mother faced with an opportunity for a new life; Italy’s La Madre (The Mother), which talks the about passions and torments of a priest, his mother, and a parishioner; The Netherlands’s The Warden, about an old man who has spent 50 years as the warden of a bird sanctuary on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean; Austria’s Einer wie Erika (Erik and Erika), which is based on the true story of Erik Schinegger, a world champion skier and his life as a woman, his ultimate transition to manhood and his fight for recognition; Romania’s Acasă (My Home), which follows a family who live with nature until they are forced to adapt to life in the big city; Finland’s Aurora, which focuses on immigration and addiction; France’s Les Parfums (Perfumes), about a successful perfume maker and her driver; Germany’s Kokon (Cocoon), which follows a shy 14-year-old girl as she makes her way into adulthood; and Das Vorspiel (The Audition), a French and German co-production which tells a story of a girl’s passion for the violin.
For more information on the film festival, visit www.facebook.com/cineeuropaph/.