It’s a triple treat for film buffs as Instituto Cervantes de Manila brings back Película, the biggest annual Spanish Film Festival in Asia, at chosen venues in Metro Manila from September 29 to October 11.

Due to the past successes of its first seven seasons, organizers have lengthened the film festival to 14 days, with three different venues in Makati , Pasay and Manila . Several cultural events have also been calendared, in line with the theme of this year’s festival: Locos por el cine or Adik sa Pelikula.

With new partnerships forged by Instituto Cervantes, the cultural arm of the Spanish government, and the strengthening support from Spanish filmmakers, last year’s attendance by cinema enthusiasts is expected to increase this year. Last year, ticket sales was recorded at 15,000.

Opening this year’s festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on September 29, is an exhibit on Filipino Filmmakers by renowned Spanish photographer Oscar Orengo. Featured in the exhibit – the first of its kind in the country – are local directors and actors from different generations like Eddie Romero, Peque Gallaga, Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz, and others.

That same day, will also be inaugurated at the CCP a selection of Filipino and Spanish documentaries. It will be followed by a dance performance by the Danza Vertical group who will display their world-class production to local audience.

On October 1, Película will kick off at Greenbelt 3 featuring multi-awarded films such as El truco del manco (The one-handed trick), Camino (The Way), Los girasoles ciegos (The Blind Sunflowers), Rotorno a Hansala (Return to Hansala), and 3 Días.

Other films include El Nido Vacío (Empty Nest), a comedy that explores the gap that occurs when children grow up and move away from home; and La Zona (The Zone), a film about a wealthy compound surrounded by walls and surveillance system to protect the locals against the violence of the slums.

Aside from its line-up of films in different genres, the film festival also gives tribute to Latin-American films with the Mexican and Chilean Cinema Night.

Also on October 1, an exhibition on the evolution of the Spanish cinema will be featured at the De La Salle University- College of St. Benilde (DLSU-CSB). Tagged as Crónica Visual del Cine Español (A Visual Chronicle of Spanish Cinema), the exhibit will be divided into the three periods of the Spanish cinema, aiming to recreate the journey of the films from the old Europe and Latin American tradition to the current contemporary style.

Running alongside the exhibits at the DLSU-CSB will be a series of workshops on scriptwriting and editing.

For more information, please call 526 1482 or visit http://manila.cervantes.es or www.pelicula.ph

Instituto Cervantes de Manila is located at 855 T.M. Kalaw St. , Ermita, Manila .

The iciest event of the year “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” caved in at a thrilling P 36.5 million nationwide in its first 3-days of release since it opened last July 3 (Friday) in Phil. theaters.

With its 3-day-weekend Manila-wide opening of P 27.9 million, the third installment of the Ice Age franchise achieved the Biggest Opening Weekend for Animation this year so far, surpassing “Monsters vs. Aliens”’ P12.9 million 3-day weekend.  It now ranks as the 2nd Biggest Opening Weekend for a Fox animated film All-Time succeeding “Ice Age 2’s” 5-day opening feat of P31.5 million.

“Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” once again finds the eclectic mix of Manny and Ellie the mammoths, the saber-toothed Diego, Sid the Sloth and Scrat in the middle of an adventure that is thrice thrilling in the midst of an unfamiliar terrain filled enormous dinosaurs.

Among the top theaters who packed in spectacular box-office receipts are Trinoma (P2.51 million); SM Mall of Asia (P2.22 million); The Block/SM North Edsa (P 1.49 million); Glorietta 4 (P1.48 million); Powerplant (P1.31 million); Alabang Town Center (P1.29 million); SM Megamall (P1.28 million); Greenbelt 3 (P1.08 million); Gateway (P1.03 million) and Eastwood (P909, 531).

The following theaters also hauled in dino-like receipts that includes Ayala Cebu with P 902, 268; Robinsons Galleria (868, 773); Robinson’s Ermita (P 802, 720); Theatremall (P 795, 528); Filinvest (P 762, 042); Shang Cineplex (P752, 248); Market-Market (P 685, 980); SM Cebu (654, 898); Sta. Lucia East (P 525, 188) and Gaisano Davao (P 504, 634).

“Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” is still showing in theaters nationwide (also available in digital 3D in selected theaters – Trinoma, Gateway, Robinson’s Galleria, The Block and Mall of Asia cinemas) from 20th Century Fox distributed by Warner Bros.

The Ice Age universe introduces a new adventure-loving character named Buck (voiced by Simon Pegg, “Star Trek”) – a swashbuckling, slightly crazed one-eyed weasel who accidentally fell into the gargantuan dino world in “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.”

The Ice Age gang headed by Manny along with Diego, Ellie, Crash and Eddie meet and greet Buck when Sid was teethed by a momma T-Rex in trying to keep the dinosaur babies as his own.   The lone mammal in a world of giant lizards, Buck has been isolated for a long time – maybe too long; he’s prone to talking to the trees and shrubs surrounding him.   There, he had a fateful encounter with Rudy, a terrifying albino dinosaur who took out Buck’s eye – and Buck, the dino’s tooth – during their initial, fateful encounter.  Buck’s adventurous spirit and daredevil antics are embraced by sibling possums Crash and Eddie both of whom we met in “Ice Age: The Meltdown,” eagerly joins Buck below the ice to kick some dino butt.

Co-screenwriter Yoni Brenner notes that finding the origins of Buck’s bigger than life antics was a priority.  “Carlos [Saldanha] wanted to make sure we defined a reason for Buck’s craziness.  “We wanted to ground his behavior, at least a little bit.  He had to be not only really funny, but make sense from a character point of view.”

Buck has an anatomical advantage in dealing with the dangerous environment and his even more foreboding arch nemesis Rudy; character designer Peter de Sève, the animators, under supervising lead animator Galen Tan Chu, plus the film’s rigging department, made the character super-bendy in every direction.  “Buck is a little crazy, as well as really athletic, so we really amped up his ability to twist, stretch and spiral,” says de Sève.   Buck having only one good eye made him even more visually arresting, but presented some performance challenges for the animators.

In casting the role, the filmmakers wanted a voice that stood out from their previously established characters.  “Every character in the ‘Ice Age’ films has a distinct voice, but they all somehow fit together,” says producer Lori Forte. Ultimately, it was British actor Simon Pegg who got the nod to voice Buck.  “Simon has great comedic timing, and his work brought a completely different flavor to Buck,” Forte continues. “We wanted a quality that conveyed a worldliness and range of experience that hadn’t yet been heard in an ‘Ice Age’ movie.”  Pegg, who is currently on view as the starship engineer Scotty in director J.J. Abrams’ reboot of “Star Trek,” and who was acclaimed for his work in the edgy comedies “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” says he enjoyed the character, whom the actor gave a Cockney accent. “Buck really sparked my imagination.  He’s full of energy and larger than life.  I saw him as a cross between Indiana Jones and [“Apocalypse Now’s” powerful but demented] Col. Kurtz.”

“Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” will open July 3 nationwide in (Phils.) theaters (also available in DIGITAL 3D in selected theaters) from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Some of the cast..

Wonderland was a peaceful kingdom until the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) took power.
The White Queen (Anne  Hathaway), who was overthrown by her sister, “is beautiful but over the top.
Johnny Depp concocts another memorably trippy character as the Mad Hatter.

Source: usatoday.com

Gateway Cineplex 10, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and Colorwheel Media Studios present “Indie HD: Premiere of the Filipino and Korean Independent Short Films ‘Pera-perahang Lata’ and ‘Technophilia’ in HD Format and a Discussion On Digital Technology in Indie Films Today.” Directed by Rianne Hill Soriano, the two films will be projected in HD format at the Cinema 1 of Gateway Cineplex 10 (Dolby Super Digital Cinema) on June 3, 2009, 6:30 p. m.

The two independent films share a common theme and treatment on factories, the normal factory setting reflecting various aspects of life for “Pera-perahang Lata” and the human factory effect of technology on people for “Technophilia.”

The films are privileged to be shown in HD format, not via low resolution DVD projection, courtesy of Gateway Cineplex 10, home of two of the four digital cinemas in the country today. Within the premiere of the said films is a full program entitled “Indie HD” which incorporates a brief discussion on how independent filmmakers can maximize the filmmaking process: Gateway providing information on how digital cinema is starting to shape the future of film theaters; Christie giving basic details about the HD projection on digital cinemas; Optima Digital discussing the post-production workflows available for filmmakers; and the NCCA imparting information about their grant system for independent filmmakers.

The digital technology of today can now provide more technically competent productions with decent finances. The lower cost of production puts a distinct advantage in maximizing resources for a more effective production workflow. The high resolution and mostly file-based filming in HD cameras make it easier and faster for the footages to be utilized for post-production.

For the future of films and even cinema advertisements, the file-based showing of films becomes a real advantage to film theaters and advertisers alike as there are no more scratches and noises due to wear and tear of a 35mm or 16mm print and there are no more possibilities for human error in rewinding and queuing up prints. A feature film normally has around four to six prints changed every 20 minutes (variable) of the film’s running time. Now, having things digital, the programming can even be automated accordingly. And what the future can further bring is the easier transportation/sending of film, trailer, and cinema ad files online, via satellite, through less bulky parcels, and other more convenient means instead of providing hundreds and thousands of film prints for a film that is “now showing” (where every theater in the whole city, the country, or even the world should have a physical copy of the prints). File-based systems in 2K and 4K resolutions and surround sound systems also provide quality visuals and audio in par with what standard 35mm film projections can bring and even easily put the right subtitles for films of worldwide release. All these, in the long-term, entails lower cost for producers; thus, making it more feasible for the Philippines to catch up with the technology in the global arena.

“Indie HD” is a testament to how independent artists and commercial studios can work together for artistic and cultural projects. The thrust of the event is to inspire aspiring filmmakers, struggling filmmakers, and renowned filmmakers, that no matter how tough it is to come up with non-commercial and/or art films due to budget constraints, there are people and institutions, including the prime movers of the film and similar entertainment industries, who are willing to help and support such artistic endeavors. It is wonderful to note how the collaboration among passionate artists, dedicated talents, and supportive sponsors have transpired to this kind of event – telling stories and inspiring people that Filipinos, amateur or professional, can work together to come up with quality projects that help enrich the Philippines’ arts and culture. This may be a non-profitable project, but various people and companies still work together to make it possible.

“Pera-perahang Lata,” a film that explores the many facets of a struggling life in a world that is full of unpredictable moments, is made possible through various institutions’ help including the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Unitel Productions, FILMEX, Optima Digital, Outpost Digital Frontier, Engine Room, city government of Marikina, Marikina Riverbanks, St. Francis Xavier Parish Church, Streetpark Productions, and Brass Knuckles. The cast is led by Von Arroyo and Arnold Reyes.

“Technophilia,” a Korean-Filipino-Iraqi film production, shows how technology can shape people’s lifestyles, affect their relationships, and make their interactions as mechanistic as their gadgets. It stars fresh Korean, Japanese, American, and Filipino talents. The film is shot in 16mm film with screening format in HD through the help of the Korean Film Council, Korean Academy of Film Arts, and Korea University during the filmmaker’s 6-month stay in Korea for the Asian Filmmakers Training Program 2008.

The event is also made possible by the Gateway Cineplex 10, NCCA, Colorwheel Media Studios, Outpost Digital Frontier, Innovasia, Korean Embassy, Marikina Cultural Affairs Office, Mamma Mia, Jingleman, IFC, NU 107, and the official music channel MTV Philippines.

You may visit www.peraperahanglata.blogspot.com, www.technophiliafilm.blogspot.com, and www.riannehillsoriano.com/blog for more information about the films.

Two days before his wedding, Doug (Justin Bartha) drives to Las Vegas with his best buddies Phil and Stu (Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms) and his future brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), for a blow-out bachelor party they vow they’ll never forget.

But when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning with pounding headaches, they can’t remember a thing.  Their luxury hotel suite is beyond trashed and the groom is nowhere to be found.

With no clue about what happened and little time to spare, the trio must attempt to retrace their bad decisions from the night before in order to figure out where things went wrong in the hopes of finding Doug and getting him back to L.A. in time for his wedding.

But the more they begin to uncover, the more they realize just how much trouble they’re really in.

The Hangover stars Bradley Cooper (Yes Man, He’s Just Not That Into You), Ed Helms (TV’s The Office), Zach Galifianakis (What Happens in Vegas), Heather Graham (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me) and Justin Bartha (the National Treasure films).

The film’s forward-in-reverse structure appealed to director Todd Phillips as a storyteller.  “Starting from that morning, these three grromsmen have to put their heads together and pursue one potential lead after another that will take them back through every twist and turn and screw-up of the night before and, hopefully, get them to the place where they last saw Doug.  And the audience gets to take that ride along with them.  You pick up the pieces when they do.  In some ways it’s like a classic detective story,” the director offers.

Opening soon across the Philippines, “The Hangover” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Q: Initial reaction to the title was that it was 12 rounds of boxing, but that’s not the case.

A: Everyone gets that idea and they are pleasantly surprised when they find out it’s 12 challenges and not 12 rounds of boxing. I think people will be pleasantly surprised with the movie as well. I don’t know what people are expecting but I think this movie will exceed their expectations.

Q: Can you describe your character in the movie?

A: Danny fisher is just a regular cop, who makes a bit of a lucky bust and knows it. .  The whole everyman thing is easy, I’m just trying to be me,  I like the fact that Danny struggles. He doesn’t come out of a phone booth and stop bullets.

Q: How is this character different from the Marine?

A: The Marine was more like a terminator character, there is even a line in the movie, “this guys like the terminator.” He’s very impervious to bullets, indestructible, a guy who can’t be defeated. Danny Fisher really is a normal dude. There are moments in the movie were he experiences defeat, doubt, he doesn’t have faith in what he can do. It’s a very normal scenario for someone to go through as opposed to the Marine, who is very super human.

Q: How does this movie help in your career as an actor?

A: It’s more than another role for me; this is my initiation into the rarified air of action movie star.  Moreover, the film’s Danny Fisher is the type of action hero that I  enjoyed watching, as a fan of the genre. The ‘80s was the era of the ‘everyman’ hero. nd there hasn’t been that style of hero since then.  Guys like Bruce Willis in ‘Die Hard’ proved that an everyday person can be an action hero. If I’m even considered in that club, I’m definitely off to a great start.”

Q: How was it working with Ashley Scott who plays your girlfriend in the movie?

A: Ashley Scott was great, not only is she a beautiful young woman but she’s very fun to be around. The dynamic of the couple is a couple that’s been around for a while, but really, the guy is very gun shy and the girl is very, very independent and fun to be with and she’s just that.

Q:  How was it working with the director of Die Hard 2?

A:  Renny Harlin is a great guy, both personality and professionally. He was so very well prepared that he had the entire movie shot before I got there for pre-production. He had it in his head what he wanted to do with the movie before having even met me. I was fascinated by that, every day, he would come to the set with unbelievable shot lists and people would think that he wouldn’t be able to get it done and he got it done. On a personal level, very, very good guy to know and a very great guy to hang with.

“12 Rounds” opens March 25 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.