Now that Instituto Cervantes has traded in its TM Kalaw grounds for a space in Makati’s CBD area, its former space has been taken over by the Film Development Council of the Philippines where it’s opened a cinematheque — a not-for-profit cinema showing mostly non-mainstream movies.
A technical committee is in charge of programming and there are currently two screenings a day at a 101-seater hall. “But we are planning to have outside screenings during the evening at our courtyard beginning in March. There are also plans to open a new cinematheque in Intramuros later this year, which will have two screening rooms,” said FDCP project development officer Quintin P. Cu-Unjieng.
Apart from the screening hall, the grandly named Cinematheque Centre Manila (note the Continental spellings) also a film museum, classrooms and souvenir shop. A library is also in the works. The screening room will be rented out “as long as it does not interfere with already planned screenings.”
To kick things off this month, CCM will open with Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag by Lino Brocka on Jan 8 at 5pm.
Other Filipino must-see movies included in this month’s programme are Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes’ Sonata, Lamberto Avellana’s Portrait, Chito Roño’s Badil, Elwood Perez’s Estokerika: Maynila, Henry Francia’s On My Way tT India Consciousness, I Reached China, and Mel Chionglo’s Lauriana.
Lav Diaz takes over Jan 22 to 31 with his five-hour, 37-minuter Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon.
And because the first-ever Danish Film Festival in December proved successful, five Danish films are also included in the Cinematheque’s inaugural run. They are The Hunt (2012), In a Better World (2010), Babette’s Feast (1987), A Royal Affair (2012), and Waltzing Regitze (1989).
Lav’s film will have an admission price of PHP200, while Elwood Perez’s Esoterika: Maynila is at PHP100. Everything else is for free, on a first-come first-serve basis.
855 T.M. Kalaw St, Ermita, Manila. +63 2 8462498, www.fdcp.ph
Check out the schedule below:
