MANILA – A line-up of cinema greats takes centerstage at the first ever Argentine Film Festival at Shangri-La Plaza’s Shang Cineplex on October 29 to 31. Highlighting a compelling mix of dramatic, heart-warming, and relevant flicks, the festival is set to bring audiences to an exploration of the human spirit and emotions that are truly unforgettable.
Short film La Reina (The Queen) tells the story of Memi, who is lost in a grown-up world and trapped in a daily routine, she struggles with the lure of pageant glitz and glamour, and the social pressures of becoming a winner.
Based loosely on the story of Edgar Allan Poe, El Escarabajo de Oro (The Gold Bug) sees a group of people embark on a crazy trip to search for a mysterious treasure. Taking the guise of studying colonialism to travel freely, the treasure hunters are guided by a cryptogram drawn exactly from the homonym book of Poe.
In Metegol (Underdog), the animated adventure film, a shy, smart boy and his football team try to get back and work together in time to face their most fearsome rivals in the field.
On the other hand, darkly comedic and dramatic Relatos Salvajes (Wild Tales) was the Argentine entry to the 2015 Oscars in the “Best Foreign Language Film”. The film shows how inequality, injustice and the demands of the world drive people to explode.
Finally, we close the lineup with La Corporación (The Corporation). A signed contract threatens the perfect world of a businessman. Strict, meticulous and cynical Felipe lives an idyllic life with his wife Luz. Nothing seems to affect his wealth and comfort-filled existence – that is until he realizes that one particular action is set to shake the very foundations of his family.
Audiences looking for a wonderful introduction to Argentina’s cinematic works have more than enough fascinating stories that thrill, excite, and move at the very first Argentine Film Festival. (Eagle News Service/Embassy of Argentina/Shangri-la Cineplex)