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Press Release
Filipino Films to wow the UAE
November 10, 2011, Dubai – In celebration of Filipino culture and artistry, Amber Clinics and The Kitsch Company present four award-winning Filipino films to be screened during the first ever Philippine Film Festival in the UAE (PFF-UAE) on November 25-26, 2011.
“Rosario”, starring popular Filipino actress Jennylyn Mercado, follows the travails of a woman whose only sin is to follow her heart, and “Ded na si Lolo” (Grandpa is Dead), whose veteran cast includes Gina Alajar, Roderick Paulate and Elizabeth Oropesa, brings to the big screen a contemporary and comic take on a family’s way of dealing with their loss and grief. The two films will be screened for free in VOX Cinemas Deira City Center and VOX Cinemas Marina Mall Abu Dhabi during the two-day festival.
“We have long been planning the 1st Philippine Film Festival in the UAE and we are very happy to finally be able to announce this exciting event. As a company that produces one of the UAE’s entertainment portals, www.kitschmovies.com, we find it quite ironic that we do not feature Filipino films more often – that’s because we only get about one or two Filipino films per month,” shares Johann Conti Ramos, managing partner of The Kitsch Company.
“As an all-Filipino company, we realize that one sure way to fill that longing for home and to help showcase our rich culture in our adopted home, the UAE, is to bring these films here. We would like all Filipinos to enjoy these films and we would like none-Pinoys to enjoy them too. This is a chance for them to get a peek of what the rich Filipino culture is like outside from our love of food,” he adds.
Two more films, namely the family-oriented film “Botelya” starring Boots Anson Roa, Katrina Halili and Angel Aquino, and the classic black and white film “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon…” starring Christopher de Leon and Gloria Diaz, will also be screened for free during the symposia at Marco Polo Hotel. Veteran actress and Mowelfund Director Boots Anson Roa and veteran film director and thespian Soxie Topacio will fly in to the UAE courtesy of dnata, one of the region’s largest travel service provider, for the film festival to talk about the significance of films to the Filipino culture and the state of the industry today.
“The Filipino constituents in the UAE are significant. They deserve to experience the best in Filipino films, past and present,” shares Boots Anson Roa when asked about the upcoming festival.
The 1st Philippine Film Festival in the UAE is presented by Amber Clinics and The Kitsch Company, in partnership with dnata, VOX Cinemas, Emirates Grand Hotel and KitaKits in cooperation with Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Association), a non-stock, non-profit social welfare, educational, and film industry development in the Philippines.
“dnata has provided travel services to the UAE’s Filipino community – like special travel deals and arranging flights home – for many years,” said Majid Al Mulla, Divisional Vice President of dnata’s travel business. “We have often participated in the Philippines Independence day celebrations and other special occasions, so it was a natural choice for us to sponsor this 1st Film Festival.”
The 1st Philippine Film Festival tickets will be given away for free through www.kitschmovies.com. For more information about the festival, please visit www.kitschmovies.com/pff-uae.
About The Kitsch Company
The First Philippine Film Festival is brought to the UAE by The Kitsch Company, an arts and entertainment company which also owns www.kitschmovies.com. Behind it are three enterprising and creative Filipinos who aim to bring Filipino culture and art to the Filipino expatriate community in the UAE.
About KitschMovies.com
KitschMovies.com is an integrated movie portal in the UAE bringing movie schedules of the different cinemas in the country together in one website. It also features regular movie competitions, new movie releases, reviews and cinema-related features.
For more information, please go to www.kitschmovies.com/pff-uae or email info@kitschmovies.com.
