Heads up, cinephiles! Cine Europa rolls out 17 films for free

Film buffs, get ready! The Philippines' longest-running European film festival, Cine Europa, is back with its 28th edition, offering a remarkable selection of 17 films from 16 countries. Best of all, admission to these cinematic gems is entirely free, making world-class cinema accessible to everyone.

The main festival run takes place at the Red Carpet Cinema in Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City, continuing until September 17. This year's curation, spearheaded by the European Union’s Delegation to the Philippines and various EU state embassies, focuses on narratives that truly "resonate well with the Filipino people," promising a deeply engaging experience.

For those outside Metro Manila, the festival extends its reach with special screenings scheduled at key academic institutions, including the University of the Philippines Cebu, St. La Salle University in Bacolod, and Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban, bringing European storytelling closer to diverse communities.

The lineup itself is a rich tapestry of genres, from animation and documentary to historical dramas, thrillers, and comedies. Noteworthy selections include Romania's 'Three Kilometers to the End of the World,' an award-winning drama from Emmanuel Pârvu that explores the impact of religion and societal stigma on the LGBTQIA+ community through the story of a gay teenager attacked in his conservative hometown.

Ireland's 'Tarrac' explores themes of family and unspoken grief, depicting a daughter's journey to connect with her sick father through the fierce sport of rowing, a film recognized for its cinematography. For animation fans, Hungary’s Oscar-nominated 'Four Souls of Coyote' offers a captivating reimagining of a creation myth, weaving it into a timely narrative about Native American environmental activism against an oil pipeline.

The festival also features the Dutch family film 'Jippie No More,' an award-winner lauded for its pioneering portrayal of a protagonist with Down syndrome navigating teenage love and family bonds. Audiences can also look forward to the Czech comedy-drama 'Sea of Hope,' a story about a violin maker's life-changing event, and Ukraine's gripping documentary 'Curated Theft,' which investigates a significant artifact heist in Kherson.

Further enriching the program are animated features like Poland’s 'The Peasants' and Spain’s 'Dragonkeeper: Guardian de dragones.' Drama enthusiasts can explore 'Family Therapy' (Slovenia), 'Nova and Alice' (Sweden), and 'Animal' (Greece), while historical drama fans might enjoy 'Beyond the Blue Border' (Germany), 'Jevida' (Finland), and 'Chiara Lubich' (Italy). Rounding out the diverse offerings are the drama-comedies 'Fathers & Mothers' (Denmark) and 'Un métier sérieux' (France), alongside the French thriller 'L’Amour et les Forêts.'