Soriquez launches Euro-Phl filmfest

Filipino-Italian actor-director Ruben Maria Soriquez (photo), who recently worked with Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil on ABS-CBN’s Dolce Amore and with Sharon Cuneta in Star Cinema’s Unexpectedly Yours, announced the launch of the European Philippine International Film Festival (EPIFF) 2018.

Together with Italian filmmakers Maurizio Baldini and Lorenzo Galanti, Soriquez co-founded the new international filmfest to be held from March 7 to 9, in two cinemas in Florence, Italy — in Teatro Della Compagnia and in Cinema Alfieri.

The endeavor is endorsed by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (where Soriquez is among the board of directors), as well as the Philippine Italian Association, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Fondazione Sistema Toscana.

Its objective is to promote Philippine Cinema to the European audience, starting off with Florence, Italy, Soriquez’s hometown, where films by Benini, Antonioni and Felini dominated world cinema in the past.

“The festival also aims to better understand the complexity of Filipino culture, to showcase the natural sights of the country, and eventually find distribution for these Filipino-made films.

“We founded this festival because there’s a huge Filipino audience in Italy,” says Soriquez.

The following Filipino film titles are included in the Official Selection of EPIFF 2018 (Year 1): In competition films: Honor Thy Father by Erik Matti; Imbisibol by Lawrence Fajardo; Dagsin by Atom Magadia; Maestra by Lemuel Lorca; Broken Hallelujah by Roland Sanchez; Magtanggol by Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez; and the documentary, Journeyman Finds Home: The Simone Rota Story, by Albert Almendralejo and Maricel Cariaga.

Out of competition films (films shot in the Philippines by Italian directors):

Dalisay by Maurizio Baldini and Of Sinners And Saints by Ruben Maria Soriquez.

Throughout the three-day festival, aside from giving awards such as Best Picture and Best Director to acting and technical categories, there will also be side events and special screenings.

“There’s a need to review government policies, and filmmakers’ current business model of production, distribution and exhibition, in order to increase the country’s participation in the international film scene,” says Soriquez, a believer of Philippine Cinema.