Cine Europa, the longest-running European film festival in the Philippines, returns to Shangri-La Plaza as it continues to bring inspired experiences by giving Filipino cinephiles access to European cinema. Screening at the Shang Red Carpet Cinema from October 18 to 27, the festival features 20 must-see contemporary films from the Old Continent, allowing audiences to explore the stories that matter to the new generation of European filmmakers.

Hosted in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the Philippines, the film festival comes as the EU and the Philippines mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, which have been strengthened by cultural events such as Cine Europa. On a landmark year, audiences can expect a lineup of notable productions across various genres and themes released between 2015 and 2024, exhibiting the richness of today’s European cinema.

The festival kicks off on October 18, 6PM with the lighthearted Lang Historie Kort (Long Story Short, Denmark) by May el-Toukhy and Maren Louise Käehne, which delves into a group of friends trying to find true love. It’s followed by Maciej Kawalski’s comedy-murder mystery Niebezpieczni dżentelmeni (Dangerous Gentlemen, Poland).

Films for October 19 include the animated film Icare (Icarus and The Minotaur, Luxembourg), Carlo Vogele’s fresh take on the classic Greek tale. Screening next are Aki Kaurismäki’s The Other Side of Hope (Finland), a story of a harassed salesman who crosses paths with an asylum-seeker; Tomás Pavlícek and Jan Vejnar’s dark comedy production Přišla v noci (She Came at Night, Czech Republic) on the “horrors” of living with moms and moms-in-law; and Ronnie Sandahl’s Tigrar (Tigers, Sweden) that looks at the pressures haunting a football prodigy.

The October 20 lineup highlights guest country Ukraine’s Taste of Freedom by Alexander Berezan, which tells the story of a chef determined to achieve her dreams; as well as Sonne Und Beton (Sun and Concrete, Germany), David Wnendt’s coming-of-age crime drama and Robert-Adrian Pejo’s Mancs (Paw, Hungary), based on the real-life story of the relationship between a gifted rescue dog and his trainer. Rounding out the day is Souvenir (Belgium) from Bavo Defurne, a story of a has-been chanson singer returning to the limelight.

October 21 delivers Mai departe (The World is My Arena, Romania), a biopic by Tedy Necula on a rugby player who adjusts to life in a wheelchair; as well as Mermaids Don’t Cry (Austria) by Franziska Pflaum, which is about a plain supermarket clerk’s dream of having a synthetic mermaid fin. The last film for the day That They May Face the Rising Sun (Ireland), is a Pat Collins adaptation of legendary Irish writer John McGahern’s final novel.

On October 22, Lucas Delangle’s The Strange Case of Jacky Caillou (France) adds a dash of fantasy to the lineup. Antonio Perez Molero’s documentary La Flota de Indias (The West Indies Fleet, Spain) recounts the storied past of Spain’s legendary naval fleet to the New World. The Man with the Answers (Cyprus) is a film by Stelios Kammitsis following the romance of two young men. October 23 presents Antonio Manetti and Marco Manetti’s Diabolik (2021), which explores another side of crime; Austėja Urbaitė’s Remember to Blink (Lithuania), which is about a French couple adopting Lithuanian children; and an additional screening of Sonne Und Beton.

October 24 starts off with Ukraine’s Another Franko by Igor Visnevsky, which is about the life of the son of a great writer. It’s followed by a repeat showcase of Niebezpieczni dżentelmeni and Icare. The Other Side of Hope, Přišla v noci, and Tigrar will have encore screenings on October 25. It also features The Man Without Guilt (Slovenia), about a widow’s personal redemption and revenge by Ivan Gergolet. On October 26, Mancs, Mai departe, Mermaids Don’t Cry, and The Strange Case of Jacky Caillou are going to be back on the big screen. Finally, extra screenings of La Flota de Indias, Diabolik, Souvenir, and That They May Face the Rising Sun wrap up the festival on October 27.

Have a peek at Europe’s contemporary cinematic offerings at Cine Europa 27, screening for free only at the Red Carpet Cinema in Shangri-La Plaza from October 18 to 27.

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