MANILA, Philippines?The Italian Film Festival, now on its 8th year, is mounting its first eight-day run at the Shangri-La Plaza mall, reported Emanuela Adesini of Italy?s embassy in Manila.

A joint project of the embassy and the Philippine Italian Association (Pia), the festival was previously held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

?We want to attract a wider audience,? Adesini explained. ?The mall is accessible to students and the general public.

The screenings of 13 Italian films, which is ongoing until Oct. 21, are open to the public.

Previous editions of the festival focused on classics, related Silvana Ancellotti-Diaz of the Pia. ?This year, we?ve lined up contemporary films.?

?With the exception of one film (the thriller ?The Bird with the Crystal Plumage? by Dario Argento) which was released in 1970, all the other movies were made from 2005 to 2007,? said Adesini.

With these recent films by young directors, festival organizers hope to share with Filipinos the current state of Italian cinema in particular and Italian society in general, said Adesini.

?It?s interesting to see how new filmmakers approach the changes and challenges in Italian society. These films tackle topics like the gap between the young and old (?The Fever?), unemployment and the economic crisis (?Smalltown, Italy?), even homosexuality (?Mater Natura?),? said Adesini.

Diaz noted that organizers made sure to program a wide variety of films.

?We have comedy, drama, thriller, historical and art films,? Adesini said.

The opening film, Giusseppe Gagliardi?s ?The True Legend of Tony Vilar,? is based on the life story of a popular singer. ?He?s like the Julio Iglesias of Calabria,? said Diaz.

Modern comedies are shown alongside period dramas.

Pietro Maria Benfatti?s ?The Heretic? is set during the Inquisition in the 14th century. Angelo Longoni?s ?Caravaggio? tells the story of troubled 16th-century artist Michelangelo Mersi. Based on Federico de Roberto?s novel, Roberto Faenza?s ?The Viceroys? chronicles the decline of an aristocratic clan in the 1800s.

?Cult classic?

The only vintage film in the list is the 1970 debut of Argento, considered ?a maestro by Quentin Tarantino,? Adesini pointed out. ?We want to see how Filipinos would respond to a cult classic.?

Adesini and Diaz pointed out that Filipinos and Italians share many traits in common.

?We?re both passionate, friendly people. We enjoy life, singing and dancing,? said Adesini.

?Italian movies, especially the early dramas of Sophia Loren, are similar to Filipino films, too,? Diaz said.

Tribute

The festival?s opening on Oct. 14 paid tribute to Filipino filmmakers whose works have been shown (and honored) in the Venice film fest: Lav Diaz, Francis Xavier Pasion, Brillante Mendoza and Pepe Diokno.

With the help of her students in UP Diliman, Adesini translated to Italian the English subtitles of Diokno?s ?Engkwentro? for the Venice fest. Diokno?s film eventually won two top prizes in Venice.

In the future, Adesini hopes to include workshops with Italian filmmakers, as part of the festival?s agenda.

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com