Cine Europa Film Festival 2012 Schedule, Free Movies All Day Long! Now in Manila, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Baguio and Iloilo!

I can't believe it's been almost two years since I did that Cine Europa 13 5-day marathon! This year's Cine Europa 15 2012 kicks off today in Manila! The Cine Europa 15 Film Festival will be held in Manila (Luzon) until September 16, 2012 then in Cebu (Visayas) from September 21 to September 24, 2012 and in Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao) from September 27 to 30, 2012! But wait, Cinema Europa 15 will also be shown in Davao (Mindanao) from October 4 to 7, 2012, Baguio (Luzon) from October 11 to 14, 2012 and Iloilo (Visayas) from October 18 to 21, 2012!!! This year's lineup includes 21 films from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom!

I Want to Go With Oh to Barcelona!

Someone asked me a few months ago, upon learning that I am a travel blogger, to pick the top five places I'd like to visit (somewhere I haven't been to). I couldn't answer her on the spot and I didn't want to at first. You see, I later found out that I was afraid that making a list would set things in stone. In that list, I put Belize, Iceland, Morocco, Germany and Italy in no particular order and I would very much want to go to those places still. One lesson that I remember from that exercise though was that I can always make other lists or expand that list when the inspiration strikes. Today, my ultimate dream experience is a trip to Barcelona, Spain! 

CineEuropa 13 '10 Day 5 - The Last Hurrah

September 16, 2010 (Thursday)

The movie marathon experience was taking a toll on me. I felt weak and tired from sleeping late, waking early and waiting in line for almost 6 hours a day for CineEuropa. If I could suggest to the organizers, I would tell them to make the waiting easier by having only one line at the theater doors with a clear path instead of one at the ticket booth then one for seating outside the theater. This will also minimize the cases of lost tickets because people still have to wait in line again after they got the tickets. And to give everybody who watched a souvenir so that people don't rush out before the end of a show, people don't fight over who was first in line, elders won't make a run for it and wait for more than two hours just to get a keychain. Majority of those who avidly watch the films are elders so it is very dangerous, tiring and unhealthy to treat them this way and it is turning everybody into vultures with the prize at sight. I also suggest to assign the seats already with the ticket so that we learn that to appreciate film, what is important is the movie. The VIP seating is not absurd, but it is a little unfair to leave them blank especially at the early showings. After all, the purpose of a film festival is for local people to appreciate European films. Sadly, I also didn't get the chance to drop some of my raffle stubs, along with other people, because they took the raffle box away before the festival ends this weekend. Why? Because there were no more raffle stubs left to give away. Why limit the number of raffle stubs if it is a way of counting and getting feedback from the people who went to see the films? I am hoping the process gets easier in the next few years.

CineEuropa 13 '10 Day 4 - More Stories

September 15, 2010 (Wednesday)

By this third straight 11-to-11 marathon day, a lot of happenings and observations have already culminated.   There was the subtitle story that occurred in the early years of CineEuropa where somebody, a director I think, went in front of the screen in the middle of a German film and burst in anger because there was no English subtitle and nobody could understand a thing. I could understand his frustration, even him scolding Shangrila people after the show. Some people, like the lady who told me the story, make it a point now to ask the ticket lady if there is a subtitle for every movie or else all the waiting and falling in line will be useless. Watching both the film while reading the subtitles below is a skill I have learned and developed in this marathon but I still have a long way to go in differentiating the European languages from one another (they all sounded alike in a way). I was also in no mood to make it to the First Ten and arrived a little past 11 a.m. There were still a bunch of tickets available and it lessened the waiting time for the first showing. By the time you find your seats though, you will find yourself sick of the same trailers before every film.

CineEuropa 13 '10 Day 3 - Movie Buddies

September 14, 2010 (Tuesday)


Today was one of the highlights of the movie marathon. First, I discovered that Shangrila mall was still closed before 11 a.m. While waiting, I saw some same people whom I observed while in line the day before and there was something inside of me that nudged to get to know them better, make new friends and make my movie experience more memorable and authentic. One smile was all it took for Tito Cholo to respond. He was the same old man yesterday, only now I got to see him brighten up with his smile in addition to his usual serious and silent disposition while waiting for the mall doors to open. I hadn't thought much about it as I joined the crowd flow into the mall after the National Anthem was played. As I was about to go out of the elevator though, I felt a gentle push forward and began to see people running towards the ticket booth. It was Tito Cholo who urged me to alight from the elevators and make a run for it too. He was shouting "First Ten! First Ten!" I followed suit although he did slow down for me while my brain was still booting up with what just happened. I managed to get in the line and he started counting to ten and saying that we had made it. I was the ninth and he was the tenth. He said he was number eleven yesterday. I probably still had that confused expression in my face. The lady in front of me was also cheerfully explaining the matter to me and their different strategies like waiting at the 5th floor MRT entrance as a man suddenly appeared for his reserved spot in front of us. There was a prize for the first ten! It finally registered. The line started moving and I was curious with the "prize". I thought it was a corporate giveaway from Shangrila so I still didn't see the point of running to get. My eyes lit up when I saw it. It was a limited edition keychain from CineEuropa 13. 

CineEuropa 13 '10 Day 2 - Getting the Hang of a Movie Marathon

September 13, 2010 (Monday)

Monday came. It was time to put my plan into action, along with the challenge to get by a 12-hour day starting at 11 a.m. with only a few hours of sleep due to over-excitement. I was going to watch four movies in a row and a clever and excited me showed up forgetting the two most important things I should bring - a bottle of water and a jacket to keep me warm. The first was solved through a trip to Mercury at the far end of Shangrila since the supermarket was closed. I was glad for the exercise. As for the latter, I went ahead and tested my tolerance for the normal theater temperature. There were still plenty of tickets by the time I arrived a little after 11 a.m., which was the ticket-giving time for the 12 p.m. film. Eating breakfast was more important for a newbie like me at the CineEuropa Festival to prepare myself for the day since the film will end a little time before 3 p.m. and I haven't got much time.

CineEuropa 13 '10 Day 1 - Europe Through My Eyes

I was decided upon doing another adventure with an opportunity that only comes in this lifetime and in this  time of year in Manila - the CineEuropa 13. This film festival of sorts showcases 21 films from all over Europe, has free admission, is in a convenient location and gives me chances to win that trip to Europe via KLM. I must admit that I really want that prize, but most of all, after seeing my first film, it gave me a sense of what it is like in that part of the world. Even for just a few hours, I feel like I am being transported to Europe with the storyline.