How is Eiga Sai different from all the year-round film festivals in Manila? It's free. Yes, folks…read more You read that right! Eiga Sai is a Japanese Film Festival that happens every July as part of the month-long activities of the Philippines-Japan Friendship Celebration. It's not just Pikachu and Doraemon showing their love to the Philippines. Through this cause, the Japanese are immersing us with another dimension of their culture through film and language! The festival is brought to us by The Japan Foundation, Manila, The Embassy of Japan, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, UP Film Institute, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. They also have partner sponsors as well. Last year, the theme was about family and the tragedies the country faced. And we all know how it tugs our Filipino hearts when family themes are the subject of a film or literature. Japanese films are prone to tearjerkers as well. I don't know how they really pull it off but even watching Japanese romantic comedies can make you teary-eyed. What formula do they even use? Do they deliberately infuse onions in their films to turn us into mush? I will never know the answer to that. The festival runs for a week and is at a first-come first-serve seating. Make sure you don't miss this film festival especially if you love all-things Japan!

Sometimes, it pays to be really well-connected, and one of the biggest perks of having friends in…read morePR is that you get really awesome hook-ups to some of the city's biggest events. One year ago, a friend of mine gave me her press pass for Eiga Sai, which is a free movie festival held in Shang's Cineplex. This event which is sponsored by the Embassy of Japan and JICA, its cultural arm, is always such a treat because they curate such a good selection of Japanese-language films that revolve on different themes. I love how the selections are so diverse, and they show a broad spectrum of the Japanese culture that may otherwise be unfamiliar to most people. I am not particularly enthusiastic about Japanese culture, unlike some people who are really into stuff like anime, manga and Japanese food, but I find that Japanese movies have a haunting simplicity and beauty in them. I love how even the very Japanese philosophy and aesthetic of simplicity extends to most of their storylines and movies, and it's exciting to get a fresh perspective in filmmaking. Come on. We all need a break from highly CGI-fied Hollywood movies. The press pass allowed me to skip the queue, which was pretty awesome, considering that the line went on forever. The event is free so you really need to get early because seating is on a first-come-first-served basis. Aside from the movies, there would usually be a photography exhibit held in the mall. I'm really excited for the next run.

And you thought Italianni's, pizza, pasta and shoes were the only things Italy can offer Manila,…read morehuh! While we have to rid of this stereotype, here's one of the things we could do to show our appreciation to our Italian brothers and sisters: support their film festival! One of my favourite Italian movies is Le Notti di Cabiria (Nights in Cabiria). To be fair, I only heard about this from Gossip Girl because Dan said Blair cried at the end of this movie. That's when I started immersing myself into learning about Italian films. And no, I haven't dared to watch Salo. I'm not ready yet. Yikes. That was not a smooth segue. The film festival used to be held in November but for some reason, last year, they held it in July for 5 days. There are three categories to choose from in the festival. These are: Italian Showcase, Educational Component and Classic Retrospective. Their lineup is very well-rounded! Some time ago, they even invited actors, actresses and filmmakers for a red carpet event in Greenbelt. They make it really grande, these Italians. ALSO, and I know this makes your eyes beam and have probably wondered how much it is per movie. The festival is completely FREE. Last year's festivities was held in Shangri-la Cineplex. And they release tickets 30 minutes prior to the start of the show. There are a couple of months left, guys! MovieMov 4 will knock our socks off!

Manileños practically love everything Italian - the country, the culture, the people AND the food…read more Thank you, Italy, for pizza and pasta. My life wouldn't be complete without them. And the fact that the Italian culture is pretty similar to the Filipino culture. The people of both countries are friendly, warm, religious, family-oriented and love home-cooked food among other things. I'm sure when presented with an opportunity, this opportunity, Filipinos will love Italian cinema as well. And for the Italian expats, here's a piece of home! The film festival always creates a great lineup of different genre-d films, mostly critically acclaimed ones so it's a sure bet that movie lovers wouldn't be disappointed. Last year, the festival was on June but schedules are subject to change so better to be updated. You can check shangrila-plaza.com. Admission is FREE as well. Viva l'Italia!

It's exciting to know how many film festivals are in Manila. I don't really hear much film…read morefestivals happening in other countries so it's cool to know how the Philippines has it's arms open to not just Hollywood films but international films as well. There's so much to learn about different countries and their films can be one of those learning tools. These films are not just for entertainment but for education purposes as well. It also creates a great camaraderie with the foreign embassies that reside here. We already have the French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and local film festivals here and we also have the Brazil Film Festival which takes place in the Cine Adarna of the UPFI Film Center in UP Diliman, Quezon City. It already happened January this year so you'll have to wait for next year. Don't fret though, you can enjoy the other film festivals for 2015. Cinemalaya is this August! :)

For me it was an honor to have my film exhibited in the 6th Brazilian Film Festival in Manila. The…read moreannual festival is promoted by the Embassy of Brazil with the support of the University of the Philippines. It takes place at the lovely Cine Adarna, a spacious 800-seater cinema set inside the UP Film Institute. This year, the festival took 3 days in January and exhibited 3 feature films and one short movie (mine, hay!). I even took part of a Q&A with the UP students and it was very interesting! Actually the festival has a very participative audience and it was very nice to see how the filipinos are interested in Brazilian films. Attending to the festival is also a chance to learn more about Brazilian culture. And it's also a chance to realize Brazil and the Philippines has many things in common. I highly recommend this festival not only because I'm Brazilian, but because of the quality of the films - the Embassy usually shows awarded ones. Furthermore, film festivals in Manila are a chance to escape from the "kinoplex" empire, I mean, all those theaters located inside the malls that exhibit only blockbusters. If you want alternative films, then check the festivals calendar!

I have mentioned my love for films. Silent films is one of my favorite genres. There's just…read moresomething beautiful, expressive and artistic in the way the actors actions speak louder than their words. Charlie Chaplin is of course THE man. He basically got silent films to touch a wider audience and make it as popular as it deserves. It's an art form that shouldn't die that's why I got so pleasantly surprised and psyched when I learned that there's a Silent Film Festival in Manila. Especially since Manileños prefer comedy, rom-com and action films the most. If you haven't seen a silent film, do try and see one. I find that watching them gives the audience a deeper emotional response than a normal film and they're quite inspiring too. The International Silent Film Festival runs every end of August. They show different genres (horror, romance, comedy and drama) and it's free admission. It's better to reserve tickets so contact these embassies/institutions (German Goethe-Institut, the Japan Foundation, the Embassy of Italy, the Phil-Italian Association, the Embassy of the United States, the Instituto Cervantes, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines) on August and check the Facebook page for more information.

Si quieres aprender acerca de lengua y cultura de Española, tu debe ven y mira las películas en…read morePelícula, Festival de Cine Español! It's been almost a year since I started learning the Spanish language and I'm so ready for October to come because I will be immersed in all-things Spanish once again. My introduction to the Spanish Film Festival happened during my university days. We were tasked to attend and watch films from the festival so we could earn more credit for our Humanities and Arts class (also known as HUMAART if you're from DLSU). The prices for each film are at P65. My friend and I basically spent the whole day at the cinemas watching every single film showing that day. At first we did it for the extra credit but the selections for that day were really good, we decided to meet up the next day and watch the films we haven't seen yet! Spain and the Philippines have ties that go all the way back! It's been centuries but their impact on our culture especially in our language is seen, felt and heard every day. Película, like I said earlier, is held every October. It's been going on for 13 years already with varied film themes such as comedy, drama, action, documentary, adventure and romance! Instituto Cervantes de Manila hasn't released the line up for this year. I'm on my toes already because as someone who's learning the Spanish language, it feels like magic when you're getting accustomed to hearing what you've only practised, written and read for a time!

I have been a great fan of Pelicula ever since I started making a habit out of buying tickets in…read morebulk for the entire festival a couple years back. I think it was the year 2011 when I first went to a Pelicula screening, and I instantaneously fell in love with Spanish-language films. I love how watching Spanish films not only have a deeply resonant cultural component to it, but it also allows me to test my Spanish skills. The movies come with subtitles, but it's always nice to affirm that I can still understand Spanish even if I don't read the close captioning. Anyway, I am always thankful for Instituto de Cervantes for curating really great films for our viewing pleasure, and this Spanish-language film festival is a great way to be acquainted with awesome directors who work in various genres and styles. I think a couple years back ,they even started showing Basque films which is a rarity because not a lot of film festivals are centered on the highly poetic and very closely guarded Euskara language. They also even show movies from Latin America, which goes to show how culturally well-rounded this festival is because one gets an appreciation of the different cultural nuances that can be found in the different kinds of Spanish that are spoken in the films (Latin American, Castillean, etc.). I discovered some of my favorite Spanish films through this film festival. They include Biutiful, Tambien la Lluvia and Elsa y Fred. What I love about the festival is that they actually air the movies twice, on different timeslots, so that you can opt to catch an earlier or later show on different dates, if you prefer. I also love that Instituto invites some of the producers and the directors to come to the screenings, and it's always a great treat to stick around and hang out with the directors for a question-and-answer portion after the films.

It's one of the most anticipated film festivals that would make any Filipino proud - Cinemalaya. It…read more is a showcase of all independent films made by our crop of very talented Filipino filmmakers. It has gained a lot of buzz through the years as it has showcased award-winning Filipino filmmakers, actors and producers gain international recognition. This year, from August 7-15, the festival will commence at The Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila. It has three categories: Shorts, New Breed and Director's Showcase. There's a wide variety of themes that you could watch from documentary, drama, romance, thrillers and adventure. There are more than 20 films that are shown throughout the festival. Tickets are priced at P150 for regular screenings. They also have discounts for students, senior citizens, PWD, government and military personnel. A Festival Pass is P3500 which can get you the priority lane, first dibs on seats and admission to all festival screenings at the CCP. If you could only allot one day for the festival, they also have a one-day pass at P500 for four screenings and P700 to 5 screenings that are valid on the day of purchase. Let's support the Filipino film industry! Let's prove even to our fellow Filipinos that our films aren't a dying art.

Another way you can show your nationalism and be more Pinoy (or Pinoy at heart) is by supporting…read morethe Cinemalaya Philippines Independent Film Festival. It's an amazing annual event that's both a festival and a competition. It provides exposure and a platform for trailblazing talented and creative Filipino filmmakers to show their skills and artistry. Not only that, the Cinemalaya Foundation is a not-for-profit and non-government foundation. They support and provide contestants with financial grants to help them in their film making journey for the festival, allow them complete artistic licence and enables their films to be seen by a wider audience locally and internationally. It also inspires them to join in international film festivals. Ticket rates are inexpensive. There are discounts and different ticket passes as well. Cinemalaya runs during early August. It's happening in a few months so do watch and support the future of the Philippine film industry! :)

My family is a bonafide cinema junkie. Saturdays is family day and almost every time, we go out to…read moreeither watch a movie/s or have dinner out. Movie prices can get steep depending on where you watch and how many people are watching (we're a family of 7 and plus boyfriends and girlfriends...whew! that's a lot of tickets, ei?). We were at Market! Market! one time and decided to watch a movie there. We were impressed that the tickets were relatively cheap compared to other cinemas, the theater was A-OK, they have 7 cinemas, lots of affordable food and drink stalls to choose from and we had a pretty good movie watching experience. Bonus points for no crowds and long lines so we easily got to buy tickets and the seats we wanted (we can get particular with that, haha). If you prefer, you can also reserve seats online (sureseats.com). Definitely a cinema to go to if you're tight on money and you want to watch a movie or two.

The French are on a roll come June! Aside from Fête de la Musique, they also have the yearly French…read moreFilm Festival on its 20th year! It's one of the reasons why I was so eager to learn their language. I get to see their films ever year since my university days and it's unbelievable that it has been going on for most of my existence! This year, they found a new home in another Ayala Mall, Bonifacio High Street Cinemas. They are still showing at Greenbelt 3. So don't fret, my French-film-loving-friend-who-prefers-to-watch-in-Greenbelt. The tickets are priced at P100 for each film. Movie tickets nowadays are expensive that for P100 a film, that's not bad at all! You may buy them at the box office or at their website, http://www.sureseats.com. During these times, they make sure to at least show two local films made by awarded film directors. This year, Brilliante Mendoza and Pepe Diokno will have their filmed screened at Greenbelt 3. They are showing 19 films this year with 3 Coeurs, Diplomatie, Eden, Hippocrate, Dans La Cour and Le Havre to name a few. This festival may or may not be responsible if you end up leaving the cinemas with a French accent and yearning to learn the French language after watching at least 4 movies in one day.

Je adore le cinéma Français! That's about one of the few basic French words I know, haha!…read more Ever since I watched and fell in love with the film "Amélie" when I was 11, I garnered my 2nd girl crush on Audrey Tautou. Natalie Portman being my first. I had also fallen with French movies, the culture, the language, the fashion and the country. I also learned basic French in high school with my sister but I was better at memorizing the words than enunciation. Sad to say, I don't remember 95% of what I learned. *teleports to the top of the Eiffle Tower and cries in the corner* Needless to say, even if I barely know a word of French, I still love and appreciate French films - the artistic, quirky, colorful, romantic world of the French cinema. Every year, we have the French Film Festival which I often dive into. The tickets are only 100 pesos which is even better! So you can just about watch 2 films for one price. Either in Greenbelt or Bonifacio High Street cinemas. I especially loved the line up last year. Do watch "L'écume des Jours", the book turned film or "Moon Indigo" as it's called in English. Aside from my main girl, Audrey Tautou staring in it, the film is a magnificent artistic masterpiece as well as the story line! The line up this year doesn't really vary in genre. A lot of the films have a serious note to them but if that's your kind of film, go for it! Or you wouldn't really know if you'd like something until you watch it, you know? Yesterday, my siblings and I watched the animation, "108 Rois-Démons" ("The Prince and the 108 Demon Kings"). The animation was weird but amusing. It was mixed media. Mainly 3D, with 2D, watercolor and live action scenes. The bodies were of real people and the heads were animated. The concept was cool but the execution wasn't that great but we still enjoyed the story! Great movie for kids about heroes and adventures. It was also dubbed in English so we didn't really feel the French vibe but yes, great for kids! I'm also planning to watch "Saint Laurent" since I love YSL and fashion. The French Film Festival runs from June 3 to 9. Check the website to see more information. Oh, and you can also get a free caricature made for you by the artist beside the entrance. We watched at the Bonifacio High Street mall. :) TIPS! 1) Watch the trailers online first before you choose a film so you'll know more or less if the film is right up your alley, or don't and be adventurous and go with the flow. 2) Buy tickets early! One time, we were only slightly early but the movie we wanted to watch was sold out. :( 3) You can also reserve tickets at sureseats.com for a hassle free purchase. :)