Película returns to Manila screens

From Oct. 5 to 16, 2022, the 21st edition of Película Spanish Film Festival will return to Manila for face-to-face screenings. After two years of holding a virtual festival, Película will screen around 20 movies in three venues of Metro Manila — Shangri-La Plaza, Cine Adarna at UP Diliman, and Instituto Cervantes Intramuros branch.

Since its creation in 2002 by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, Película has been an annual attraction in Philippine theaters. After the COVID-19 crisis, the festival now returns to big screens on a first-come, first-served free admission basis. The festival will also host face-to-face screenings in Malaysia and Australia.

In Manila, the festival opens Oct. 5 with El buen patrón (director: Fernando León de Aranoa, 2021), a comedy starring Javier Bardem. Other comedies include El test (director: Dani de la Orden, 2022) and Con quién viajas (director: Martín Cuervo, 2021). Documentaries will include A las mujeres de España, María Lejárraga (director: Laura Hojman, 2022), dramas such as Maixabel (director: Icíar Bollaín, 2021) and El olvido que seremos (director: Fernando Trueba, 2020), and thrillers like La hija (director: Manuel Martín Cuenca, 2021).

Película 2022 is an initiative of Instituto Cervantes in Manila and Sydney, the Embassies of Spain in the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia, and the AECID, in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, ICAA, the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines, the Embassy of Panama in the Philippines, the UP Film Institute, the University of the Philippines and Intramuros Administration.

All the movies are in Spanish (or their original language) with English subtitles. For updates visit the Facebook page of Instituto Cervantes (www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila).