07 November 2019, Berlin – The First Reel Philippine Film Festival opened in Germany’s oldest cinema, Kino Moviemento, in the heart of Berlin last November 6.

The festival’s Opening film is the restored version of Filipino classic “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?” written and directed by Eddie Romero and starring some of the Philippines’ premier thespians, Christopher De Leon, Eddie Garcia, Leopoldo Salcedo, and Gloria Diaz.

The opening film was followed by an Interactive Philippine Culinary Session with Filipino-German Chef Bulawan Callanta of Berlin’s AYAN Restaurant. The session included an Adobo Cook-off. The side event was sponsored by the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

In a Welcome Message, Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega lauded the initiative of Festival Director Lola Abrera and Film Programmer Trinka Lat for coming up with a platform to showcase the diversity and multiplicity of narratives in Philippine cinema. She promised more collaborative work with the First Reel Team in the future.

The festival with the theme “Of Lives and Labels” runs until 10 November at Kino Moviemento and features side events after each screening including a Story-Telling Session on November 9 co-moderated by the Philippine Embassy’s Consul Catherine Rose Torres.

For more information, visit First Reel Facebook page, @thefirstreel. END

Multi-awarded artist Mr. Sam Penaso’s first solo exhibit in Berlin was formally opened on October 28, at the Philippine Embassy’s Sentro Rizal.

The exhibit features more than 20 of Penaso’s collection of paintings with intricate geometric patterns and nature scenes, fictional characters, and human figures vividly depicted on canvas.

 

Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega led the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon to mark the opening. She was joined by Penaso and the exhibit’s curator, art impresario and Kunst Gallery Managing Director Virgilio Cuizon.

 

The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps and Filipino community members, as well as other Berlin-based expatriates.

In her remarks during the event, Amb. Dizon-de Vega extolled Penaso’s immense talent and that of his fellow Filipino artists. She also expressed the Embassy’s readiness to help Filipino art in securing the recognition that it deserves in this part of the world.

 

The opening was capped with a reception with Filipino food and cocktails made of popular Filipino alcoholic drink Don Papa Rum.

 

Sam Penaso is a multi-disciplinary artist whose works include paintings, sculptures, performance art, and hybrid works which straddle these disciplines.

 

His works have been previously featured in 27 solo exhibitions in Austria, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi), and the United States (New York).

He won first place in the 2012 Art Association of the Philippines Annual Art Competitions, followed by a string of wins in the 2014 and 2016 GSIS Art Competition and the grand prize for the 4^th Don Papa Rum National Art Competition. He also earned a spot in the finals of the 2013 Winter Grand Salon Show in New York and was a grantee of the Asian Arts Council.

 

The exhibit runs until October 31, at the Sentro Rizal Berlin, U/G Embassy of the Philippines, Luisenstraβe 16, 10117 Berlin. END