INSTITUTO CERVANTES will mark the 25th edition of its annual Manila Spanish Film Festival, “PELÍCULA>PELIKULA,” with 20 free screenings from Spain, Latin America and the Philippines from Oct. 5 to 11 at Power Plant Mall in Makati.
The festival will feature drama, documentaries, classic films and animation as part of its continuing effort to connect the Philippines with Spanish-speaking countries through cinema and encourage cross-cultural dialogue.
All films will be screened in their original languages with English subtitles.
Royce Lim, head of the UST Department of Modern Languages, said the festival could make Spanish cinema and culture more accessible to Filipino audiences.
“For me, film is one of the easiest ways to introduce people to another culture. You get to see the language, the humor, the way people interact, and even the issues that they deal with,” Lim said.
Lim pointed to the Spanish film “La Cena” as one that could spark Filipino audiences’ curiosity about Spanish cinema and culture.
He said Spanish cinema could resonate with local viewers and that making the films more accessible to Filipino audiences was among the festival’s goals.
Lim added that the festival contributed to efforts to keep ties between the Philippines and Spain alive in a contemporary way.
Aside from film screenings, “PELÍCULA>PELIKULA” will feature lectures, workshops and concerts. Lianne Therese G. Espiritu
