Jerrold Tarog´s much acclaimed bio-epic “Heneral Luna” brought the pilot run of The First Reel: Philippine Film Festival to a close. Set during the Philippine-American war, the film follows the life of one of Philippine history´s most brilliant military men, General Antonio Luna, as he tries to lead his countrymen against colonial masters and to rise above their own raging disputes to fulfill the promise of the Philippine Revolution.
An eager international audience easily filled out two theaters for a simultaneous screening at the Kino Moviemento, the oldest running cinema in Berlin.
To date, “Heneral Luna” has emerged as one of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time, raking in $5.3 million since its Philippine premiere in September of this year.
The First Reel is the first festival to focus on Philippine films in Germany and aims to contribute to the international promotion of Philippine cinema. The festival was a collaboration among the Philippine Embassy in Germany, the Philippine Studies Series Berlin and the Kapisanan ng mga Pilipino sa Aachen, e.V.
The Philippine Studies Series Berlin is an initiative of Filipino scholars in Berlin to provide a platform for lectures, discussions, and film events regarding the Philippines in order to promote Philippine studies in Berlin. The Kapisanan ng mga Pilipino sa Aachen e.V. is a Filipino organization in North Rhine Westphalia. END
