Experience a cultural adventure without leaving your seat! The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in partnership with the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines will hold the first-ever Colombian Film Festival in the country. The Festival will take place from July 16 to 19, 2019 at the Cinematheque Centre Manila, August 20 to 24, 2019 at the Cinematheque Centre Iloilo, and October 2 to 5, 2019 at the Cinematheque Centre Davao.

A scene from “The Dragon Defense” by Natalia Santa

Six (6) Colombian films with “very good and a variety of storylines, fantastic acting by the main characters, and diversified locations” will be screened during the Festival. These are “Of Love and Other Demons” by Hilda Hidalgo, “Mamá” by Philippe van Hissenhoven, “The Dragon Defense” by Natalia Santa, “Keyla” by Viviana Gómez Echeverry, “Bad Lucky Goat” by Samir Oliveros, and “Mateo” by María Gamboa.

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza Diño is excited about holding the film festival in the Philippines. “Having the first-ever Colombian Film Festival in the country helps in making world cinema more accessible not only in Manila but to the regional audiences as well. FDCP takes pride in working with the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines in making this happen,” she said.

A scene from “Bad Lucky Goat” by Samir Oliveros

Meanwhile, David Eduardo Montoya Quirama, the chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines, stated that conducting the said Festival in the country is vital “in order to propagate awareness of the Colombian Culture to the Filipinos; in this manner, it is a promotional tool in order to enhance bilateral relations with the Philippines, and change misconceptions formulated about Colombia.”

David Quirama added that the films selected to be screened during the Festival are “productions in collaboration with the Government of Colombia, who has made efforts in order to strengthen the film industry in the country. In this manner, it has positioned Colombia as an attraction for a location for foreign producers to film their movies and booster tourism.”

All films will be screened for free on a first-come, first-served basis