The Philippine Embassy in Israel, in partnership with ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema and Kinetek, Kamias Overground and Cinematheque Tel Aviv, Cinematheque Jerusalem, and Cinematheque Haifa, will feature the second Philippine Film Festival in Israel which will commence on 27 October 2019. This year’s film festival will focus on historical themes.

The festival will open on 27 October with the premiere screening in Israel of Quezon’s Game at the Cinematheque Tel Aviv. Quezon’s Game is a new feature film that focuses on the pivotal role played by then Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon in implementing an open door policy that provided a safe haven for 1,300 European Jews who fled Nazi Germany and Austria from 1937 until 1941.

Balangiga: Howling Wilderness is the festival's second feature film, and will be shown at the Cinematheque Jerusalem on 03 November and at the Cinematheque Tel Aviv on 17 November. Directed by acclaimed director Khavn dela Cruz, the story is set during the Philippine-American war in 1901 and told through the eyes of Kulas, a young boy fleeing his hometown with his grandfather and their buffalo, as they escape the American occupation. Balangiga, which held its first international premiere screening at the 2018 Festival du Nouveau Cinéma in Canada, has featured in various film festivals such as Geneva International Film Festival in Switzerland, Göteborg International Film Festival in Sweden, and Exground Filmfest in Germany.

Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death) will wrap up this year’s film festival at the Cinematheque Haifa on 10 November and at the Cinematheque Jerusalem on 24 November. Digitally re-mastered by ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema, Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death) is a classic Filipino film portraying the rise and fall of the fortunes of a wealthy family in Manila, set against the historical backdrop of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II. With the partnership of critically-acclaimed director Peque Gallaga and screenwriter Jose Javier Reyes, the film won numerous awards in Philippine film festivals in 1982 when it was released, and was nominated for a Gold Hugo at the 19th Chicago International Film Festival in 1983.

The Philippine Film Festival will run from 27 October to 24 November 2019, and includes the following films:

Balangiga: Howling Wilderness

03 November (Jerusalem), screening at Cinematheque Jerusalem at 6:00 p.m. For tickets, visit http://www.jer-cin.org.il 

17 November (Tel Aviv), screening at Cinematheque Tel Aviv at 6:30 p.m. For tickets, visit https://www.cinema.co.il. 

Oro, Plata, Mata

10 November (Haifa), screening at Cinematheque Haifa at 6:00 p.m. For tickets, visit https://www.haifacin.co.il 

24 November (Jerusalem), screening at Cinematheque Jerusalem at 6:00 p.m. For tickets, visit http://www.jer-cin.org.il