The Berlin ASEAN Committee (BAC) with guests of honor Ambassador Ina Lepel, Director-General for Asia and the Pacific of the Federal Foreign Office (fourth from left) and Ms. Renate Künast, Member of the German Bundestag and Chair of the German – ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group (sixth from left).

25 October 2018, Berlin – The Berlin ASEAN Committee (BAC) hosted the 51st ASEAN Day Reception at the Malaysian Embassy on October 25 in celebration of the founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on August 8, 1967.

Vietnamese Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung, the current BAC Chair, welcomed some 300 guests composed of business leaders, members of parliament, other German government officials, and diplomats.  Ms. Renate Künast, Member of the German Bundestag and Chair of the German-ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Group, and Ambassador Ina Lepel, Federal Foreign Office Director-General for Asia and the Pacific of the Federal were in attendance as Guests of Honor.

In her remarks, Ambassador Lepel underscored the strong ASEAN-European Union partnership, referring to the two regional groupings as natural partners that adhere to multilateralism and a rules-based global order. She also expressed hope for the conclusion of more free trade agreements between ASEAN Member States and the EU.

The event started with the singing of the regional grouping’s anthem, “The ASEAN Way” by Philippine Cultural Attaché Mylah Rubio. The song expresses unity and strengthened sense of an ASEAN identity and belongingness among the peoples of the region.

The Philippine Embassy presented musical numbers from Ms. Gian Marla Gloria (right) and Ms. Pinky Marquez (left), Filipino cast members of “Marco Polo – When You Find Your True Love, A New Musical” which will run at the Admiralspalast-Studio from October 31 to November 4, 2018.

(L) Officers and Staff of the Philippine Embassy Berlin led by Charge d´Affaires, a.i. Lillibeth V. Pono (fourth from left) clad in their traditional Filipiniana attire; (R) Ripe Philippine Mangoes (Diamond brand), which quickly became a favorite among guests, is now available at Metro and select Edeka supermarkets.

Guests enjoyed a variety of dishes and desserts from all ten ASEAN countries, including ripe Philippine mangoes, lumpia, and chicken adobo. They were also entertained by performances from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and special song numbers from the Filipino cast members of “Marco Polo-When You Find Your True Love.” END

Acclaimed Filipino director Eric Matti´s action-thriller film “Buybust” premiered in Europe as part of the Fantasy Film Festival on September 11, 2018 at the Zoopalast in Berlin.  This was shortly followed by another screening at the Cinestar Sony Center on September 15.

BuyBust is a 2018 Philippine action thriller film co-written and directed by Matti and stars an ensemble cast top-billed by Anne Curtis and Brandon Vera. The plot centers on an elite anti-drug enforcement squad summoned to conduct a drug bust in a Manila slum. Realizing the mission is poorly executed, the team find themselves trapped by settlers and attempts to escape by fighting their way out.

Buybust was shown in Philippine cinemas in August this year following a successful premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival in June.  Variety’s Richard Kuipers described “BuyBust” as “superbly” directed and a “must-see” for fans of the genre.  Screen Daily reviewed it as “one of the most blistering action pictures since Mad Max: Fury Road.”

This year´s Fantasy Film Festival in Berlin is from 5-16 September 2018. The festival presents horror movies ,crime thrillers, bringing a unique mix of genre films to its audience. With about 50 films, Fantasy Filmfest has become one of the largest alternative film festivals in Germany having screenings in Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart, Nürnberg and Munich.  END