By Ronald Constantino
INSPIRED BY – Filipino-Italian actor-director Ruben Maria Soriquez spearheads the showing of Filipino films in Florence, Italy (March 7 to 9) via the First European Philippine Film Festival (EPIFF). Ruben was inspired by the success of the Venice Film Festival held last year at the McKinley Hill in Taguig City.
Competing at EPIFF are:
Roland Sanchez’s “Broken Hallelujah”
Atom Magadia’s “Dagsin”
Erik Matti’s “Honor Thy Father”
Lawrence Fajardo’s “Imbisibol”
Albert Almendralejo and Maricel Cariaga’s “Journeyman Finds Home: The Simone Rota Story”
Lemuel Lorca’s “Maestra”
Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez’s “Magtanggol”
Two other films are being exhibited (out of competition), featuring Italian filmmakers who shot in the Philippines:
Maurizio Baldini’s “Dalisay”
Ruben Maria Soriquez’s “Of Saints and Sinners”
Six awards are up for grabs: Best picture, director, cinematography, actor, actress, and audience favorite.
The films have subtitles in Italian, and to be exhibited in the historic Teatro della Compagnia, just a few steps from the famous Piazza Duomo.
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CO-FOUNDERS, SUPPORTERS – Ruben founded EPIFF along with two other Italian filmmakers, Maurizio Baldini and Lorenzo Galanti.
Supporters are the Philippine Italian Association, Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (of which Ruben is a board member), Fondazione Sistema Toscana, and Film development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
The festival seeks to provide greater understanding of Pinoy culture through cinema and raise awareness on the country’s natural wonders.
And hopefully, eventually to find Italian distribution for Filipino films.