FREE MOVIES!!! Don't miss the 7^th Spring Film Festival (2013)

Now on its seventh year, the Ateneo de Manila University’s Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies together with Confucius Institute and Credit Suisse, with the cooperation of the multi-awarded Ateneo Celadon organization and Shangri-La Plaza, once again brings you the Spring Film Festival this February 1-10, 2013.

INTERESTING TIDBIT! In 2010, this same project had the interesting Chinese movie "In Love We Trust", which reportedly inspired the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) box office hit movie "One More Try" starring Dingdong Dantes, Angel Locsin and Angelica Panganiban.

I was also the founding president of the Ateneo Celadon. :)

The festival is organized every year to promote Chinese language and culture in mainstream Philippine society particularly among young Filipinos so that they may become bridges between China and the Philippines.

Another noble objective also is to introduce Chinese culture and contemporary social realities to Philippine society. This year’s film festival features different faces of Chinese society.  

Note: A total of 12,000 moviegoers attended the film festival last year. This coming
festival, the organizers are targeting 20,000. With their ties with FDCP, coupled with other event
partners in Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro (mostly schools), they hope to fulfill
this goal.

Admission is free.

List of the free movies...

(Image below sourced from dubaifilmfest.com)

(image below sourced from youthareawesome.com)

Piano in a Factory

Running Time: 119 min

A man goes to unusual lengths to prove his love for his daughter in this family drama. Chen Guilin is a man who loves music and plays an accordion in an amateur band, but Chen can’t support himself on what he makes as a musician, and his job in a steel mill isn’t about to make him rich. His wife, Xiao Ju, returns home to file a formal divorce and sues for custody of their daughter. To retain his daughter, he must give her a piano. Chen exhausts all means: borrowing money from his friends and even attempting to steal a piano, but all his attempts fail. Despite these challenges, Chen always maintains an optimistic outlook. Finally, he decides to produce a steel piano with his friends.

Awards: Best Actor, 23^rd Tokyo International Film Festival; Best International Movie, 28^th Miami International Film Festival; Special Award of Jury, 28^th Golden Flower Movie Festival

(Image below sourced from thefilmstage.com)

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Storm Warriors

Running Time: 111 min

An epic battle is played out by warriors harnessing the power of the elements in this effects-laden fantasy /action drama Hong Kong film. The brave Lord Nameless is the leader of a band of heroic warriors. Lord Godless, his nemesis, captures Nameless in a daring raid, imprisons his soldiers and takes control of his land. As things look hopeless, three of Nameless's allies set out to free him: Cloud (Aaron Kwok), Wind (Ekin Cheng) and Chu Chu (Yan Tang). As Cloud absorbs what he's learned from Nameless and Wind is tutored in combat by Wicked, can they fend off Godless and his cronies?

Awards: won 29^th Hong Kong Film Awards, Best Visual Effects

Golden Times

Running time: 90 mins

Fueling China’s economic boom is the mass migration of workers from the countryside to cities. This leaves a special population of 58 million ‘left-behind children’ in the care of their old, and mostly illiterate grandparents. What should have been carefree years for these children can only be characterized by weariness from studying and burdensome farm work. Teacher Fang and police officer Sun Dayang realize that the affections and instructions of parents during the early years are irreplaceable. Getting support from the local government, they set up a “Home for Left-Behind Children,” which helps the kids from this population attain a healthy and loving environment in the hands of the community.

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(Images below sourced from chinesemov.com)

Jasmine Women

Running time: 130 mins

Starring Zhang Ziyi (House of Flying Daggers), Joan Chen and Jiang Wen, Jasmine Women tells the story of one family's struggle to overcome its tragic history, as each daughter repeats the mistakes of her mother. Director Hou Yong sets his film in the 1930's, 50's and 80's against the backdrop of an ever-changing Shanghai and tells the stories of Mo, Li and Hua, which when translated to English together means Jasmine Flower.

Awards: Grand Jury Prize, 7^th Shanghai International Film Festival; Best Actress, 13^th Golden Rooster Awards


(Image below from philstar.com)

2Become1

Running Time: 129 mins

Bingo Leung, an advertising executive, has always lived a carefree life that includes guarding her turf in the office, dating, and gossiping with her three girlfriends. One day, she finds a lump in her left breast. Everything begins to fall apart as she tries to cope with the loss of femininity in a series of bittersweet events. With the help of a happy-go-lucky Doctor V and a shy but talented teenager Sing, Bingo begins to find new meanings in her turmoil and the will to face her own demons.


(Image below sourced from philstar.com)

Space Dream

Running time: 110 mins

The son of a peasant family, Zhang Tiancong (Liu Zhibing) is a veteran member of the first generation of Chinese astronauts but, now in his 40s, has yet to be selected for a space mission. Meanwhile, his family, including his daughter and ace military pilot Siyu (Jiang Ruijia), continues to support his quickly fading dream. Tiancong’s last shot is a mission is of exceptional importance; it involves docking spaceship Wentian I with a satellite to establish China's first manned orbital space station. Will Tiancong get picked to pilot Wentian I and finally realize his space dream? Or will he be stuck on backup duty again?

Featured events on the Spring Festival include:

Chinese Painting Exhibit- on display is the latest works of seasoned artists from the International Studies for Chinese Arts and the students of the Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University Chinese Painting class. Started in 2009, this annual exhibit aims to promote Filipino-made Chinese paintings and to encourage the emergence of new talents that will continue the rich legacy of the ancient art in the Philippines. The exhibit will be at the Grand Atrium of the Shangri-La Plaza Mall from February 1 to 10, 2013.

On the Wings of Culture Chinese Photo Exhibit- Images and scenes that depict a new wave of cultural reform is taking place in China, which includes improving cultural infrastructures; burgeoning cultural industries; greater creativity in arts, literature, design and high-tech applications; safeguarding of cultural heritage; cultural innovation, dialogue and youthful exchange. This exhibit is a cooperation of Cultural Section of the Chinese Embassy and the Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University. The photo exhibit will be at the 4th floor of the Shangri-La Plaza Mall from February 1 to 10, 2013.

Sponsors of the 7^th Spring Film Festival include: Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Confucius Institute, Ateneo Celadon, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Credit Suisse, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Limketkai Center, ChaTime, Richprime Global Inc., CitisecOnline Financial, Chevrolet, Flexo Marketing, Raphyten Marketing, Lyric Piano, Baby Mossimo Kids, First Estan Trading, Teresa Marble, Footzone Greenhills, Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan University, Sacred Heart School- Ateneo de Cebu, Ateneo de Davao University, University of San Carlos, Ateneo de Ilo-ilo- Santa Maria Catholic School, Business World, Chalk Magazine, HerWord.com, RX93 and Chinoy TV.

For more information, please call Ateneo de Manila University Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies at 426-6001 locals 5208, 5209, 5280 and 5284. For tickets, please call Shang Cineplex at 633-2227.