THE Venice Film Festival docks to Philippine shores this week, marking the first time the prestigious event hits Southeast Asia. The Italian filmfest is considered as one of the three grandest in the world, alongside France’s Cannes Film Festival and Germany’s Berlin International Film Festival.
Founded in 1932, the Venice Film Festival is also considered to be the oldest.
Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno said Manila’s iteration of the Venice Film Festival is not a mere rip-off.
“Make no mistake, my friends: This is the real thing, the original film festival of Venice. This is not a copycat,” he said at the event’s news conference.
Roscigno added that the films selections were made by La Biennale Di Venezia, the Venice-based art organization that organizes the festival. The Venice filmfest in Manila runs from July 26 to 31 at Megaworld Lifestyle Mall’s Venice Grand Canal Mall Cineplex at McKinley Hill in Taguig City.
Eleven films will be showcased for the festival, eight of which are Italian and three are Filipino.
All of the Italian films are of 2016 productions, except for two classic titles: 1952’s mystery drama Processo Alla Città and 1974’s comedy Profumo Di Donna. Golden Lion nominees Questi Giorni and Piuma lead the contemporary films of Italy. Rounding out the list are Liberami, L’estate Addosso, Orecchie and Tommaso.
Meanwhile, the three Filipino films to be featured have all been entries to Venice Festivals: Brillante Mendoza’s 2012 drama Thy Womb, Francis Xavier Pasion’s 2008 crime-drama Jay and 2016 Golden Lion winner Ang Babaeng Humayo by Lav Diaz.
Morning screenings are free of charge, while admission for afternoon screenings cost P50.
As for the venue, Societa’ Dante Alighieri Comitato di Manila Director Luigi Bernas said Megaworld First Vice President of Commercial Division Kevin Tan was quick to declare his full-fledged support for the project. An added touch is the Venetian theme of the Venice Grand Canal Mall.
The Venice Film Festival in Manila was “born out of frustration” over the the lack of local screenings of Ang Babaeng Humayo, according to Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines President Sergio Boero.
He mused why the film that “won the biggest win that any filmmaker can ever achieve” wasn’t screened here for a month. “A lot of people in this country are craving for different kind of films,” he said.
Boero then coordinated with the Italian Embassy and the Manila leg of Venice filmfest was later organized in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and the Societa’ Dante Alighieri Comitato di Manila, a society that promotes Italian culture and language.
“We all worked together with the aim of making an exchange of cultural ideas and art,” Boero said, adding that like with infrastructure and education, investing in art and culture is as important for a nation’s growth. “It’s a pillar of development of any country in the world.”
The Venice Film Festival in Manila is also organized in time as the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Italy and the Philippines this year is celebrated.
According to FDCP Chairman and CEO Liza Diño, what makes the project more worthwhile than bringing the prestige of the Venice Film Festival here is the merging of two cinematic cultures, built on the long-standing relationship between Italy and the Philippines.
She said the festival organizers having chosen to partner with the Philippines as the very first Asean leg of the Venice Film Festival is a testament to the significant contribution and role of Philippine cinema to the world’s filmic landscape. “Philippine cinema is creating waves in the global scene. It has created its place all over the world.”
Boero guaranteed that the Venice Film Festival in Manila will be an annual event. He said they’re already in discussions for next year’s version to bring directors, actors and producers over and organize talks in schools. Dino said that, with Italy laying the groundwork, she welcomes the possibility of other European countries bringing their own film festivals to the Philippines.
“The Europeans, when one starts something, they always follow suit,” she quipped. “We’re just going to be the recipients of these beautiful film festivals. And for me, more than the film festival coming here, it’s them giving importance to Philippine cinema, the Philippine audience and what we could we offer to their respective festivals.”