The embassies of Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia will field six films from their respective countries for the ViseGrad4 Film Festival “a Spotlight on Central Europe” from October 11 to 14, 2018 at Cinematheque Centre Davao to commemorate the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations with the Philippines.
The film festival was a coproduction of the Embassy of Hungary, Embassy of the Czech Republic in Manila, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Manila, and the Honorary Consulate of Slovak Republic in Manila
Will Fredo Manalang, Film Development Council of the Philippine executive director, said the event present for the first time six classic and new films from a dynamic but yet less well known region of Europe.
“The embassies of Visegrad countries in the Philippines, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia are proud to bring their nations cinematic traditions to Mindanao,” he said.
Manalang said the anniversary gives them an opportunity to highlight their connections with Philippines while at the same time experimenting with new ways of cultural cooperation.
According to Manalang, the six featured films are The Exam (2011), a Hungarian espionage thriller set in 1950s oppressive communist Hungary, and Mephisto a academy award winning in 1981 also screen on the festival.
Followed by Closely Watched Train 1996 academy award winning from Czech Republic, the film is akin to a poem about the fragility and complexity of youth and My Little Sweet a cut film and one of the most popular Czech comedies ever, Manalang said.
Manalang added that Marie Curie and the Blue Light from Poland, a inspirational biography of one of the greatest scientist of all time and Shop on Main St., one of the most celebrated Czechoslovak films of all time and the peak of the country’s new wave output.
