PH EMBASSY BRINGS THE LOST ART OF SERENADE TO BERLIN; PROMOTES PHILIPPINE INTANGIBLE CULTURE
Berlin, 27 February 2023 – The Philippine Embassy in Berlin, the Filipino Community in Berlin, and San Diego Filipino Film Festival presented a special screening of the award-winning documentary, Harana: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade by Benito Bautista on 26 February 2023 at the Katolische Kirchengemeinde Heilig Geist (Catholic Parish of the Holy Spirit). The screening was organized in celebration of Philippine National Arts Month (Buwan ng Sining).
The film tells the story of the dying art of the harana, a unique form of courtship and communication that was once a common practice in rural Filipino communities. The documentary takes viewers on a journey through the Philippines as three musicians search for the remaining master haranistas and attempt to revive this beautiful tradition.
“Through this endeavor, we also wish to encourage collaboration among Filipino artists around the world in our common goal to promote our culture,” stated Minister Mary Luck S. Hicarte in her opening remarks. She further emphasized the relevance of the film as it “celebrates our culture, and it documents the richness of an art from an era that has already gone by.”
Director Benito Bautista, in his brief talk with the audience, expressed that Harana “is a love letter to our people” and that the film serves to preserve the art of harana from becoming a “vanished tradition”.
The screening was a success, with attendees moved by the beauty and significance of the lost art of harana. “Harana: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade” is a poignant and powerful film that not only showcases the beauty of this lost art form, but also raises questions about the importance of cultural preservation and the impact of globalization on indigenous traditions. (END)
