RUSHES: THE 11TH CINE-EUROPA FILM FESTIVAL

PRESS RELEASE
September 11, 2008

Now on its 11th year, Cine Europa‘s tradition of bringing excellent European films to the Philippines continues as it opens in Manila on 11 September and will run until 21 September at the Shang Cineplex Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City.

Cine Europa 11 will be opened by French Ambasador Gerard Chesnel who represents the Presidency of the European Union, Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, Head of Delegation of the European Commission, Atty. Andy Bautista, Chairman and CEO of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation and Ms. Lala Fojas, Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation. As the opening feature film, first up is France’s entry “Love Songs” by Christophe Honoré.

In the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, coinciding with the French Presidency of the European Council, Ciné Europa 11 goes beyond featuring quality European movies to the Filipino audience, to open a dialogue between our diverse cultures through the silver screen. While the entries, either box office hits or festival awardees, portray the cultural values of contemporary European societies, discussions with Filipino filmmakers and critics, shall highlight similarities, or differences with Philippine films and society, in general.

Certainly, this year’s edition of Ciné Europa is going to be another opportunity for Filipino film enthusiasts to rediscover the diversity, gaiety and drama of Europe’s various facets of life.

The film festival also opens its doors to European countries which are not members of the EU. The Embassy of Switzerland is joining Cine Europa for the first time.

Films about love, romance, hope, despair, laughter, struggles, survival and competition from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will certainly endear Europe more to Cine Europa followers in Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.

Cine Europa, which started in 1998, remains to be a distinctive acknowledgement of the partnership of the European Community with the Philippines by way of sharing with the Filipino public the diversity and uniqueness of European film culture.

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