How exactly is Bruno Beltrame supposed to react? It may be that he doesn’t feel that he deserves to be called a father to 15-year-old Luca that he doesn’t tell him the truth. Or it may be that by withholding this knowledge from the child, he is adding some drama to his otherwise uneventful life—surely, that would be an interesting chapter for when he stops writing other people’s stories and sits down to write his own.
But only Bruno would know why. He is much like any other person who’s had to deal with family situations in any part of the world. That Bruno finds new meaning in his life and accepts his responsibility is a theme commonly found in films involving blood relatives.
And Bruno’s story in the Italian movie “Scialla!” is but one of many colorful stories in this year’s Cine Europa.
Twenty-three films from 17 countries on the enduring ties of family take the spotlight in this year’s Cine Europa 17 at Shangri-La Plaza’s Shang Cineplex, Sept. 11-21.
“Journey to Jerusalem” (Bulgaria) tells the story of two Jewish kids who flee Nazi Germany in the early 1940s and are rescued by a group of touring actors in Sofia.
In “Broken Glass Park” (Germany), a young woman is out to avenge the death of her mother in the hands of her stepfather who has been portrayed by the media as a remorseful sinner and reformed man.
German auteur Edgar Reitz’ four-hour “Die Andere Heimat” is an exquisitely shot black-and-white film chronicling the life of a young man and his dream of immigrating to South America.
Loss is the theme of two films—“A Second Childhood” (Italy), which shows how a couple deals when one of them is discovered to have memory loss; and “Bon Voyage” (The Netherlands), which examines the impending sense of loss experienced by a family whose patriarch is diagnosed to be seriously ill.
A different kind of family is at the core of “Vegas” (Norway), as three friends who find common ground take refuge in their friendship as they go through their respective journeys. In “Child’s Pose” (Romania), an affluent woman uses her power to keep her son, who is charged with manslaughter, out of prison. A kid’s occasional small-time hustles from a ski resort take a dangerous turn in “Sister” (Switzerland), when the kid partners with a British crook in an effort to provide for himself and his unreliable older sister.
Sean Ellis’ “Metro Manila” (United Kingdom) returns to Filipino screens as it features the story of Oscar Ramirez and his family, who leave their impoverished but simple life in the rice field regions north of the Philippines in search of fortune in the cruel streets of the city.
The official British entry to the 2014 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, “Metro Manila” stars Jake Ramirez, John Arcilla and Althea Vega.
Light-hearted movies include “Everybody Famous” (Belgium), an amusing account of how a father devises a plan so his daughter, who lacks musical talent, can become the next big star; Czech Republic’s “Identity Card,” which tells of the adventures of four students growing up in communist Czechoslovakia and how their creative and independent souls make them a counterpoint to their country’s totalitarian conventions.
Another coming-of-age piece is Hungary’s “Thorn Castle,” about the friendship of two boys who bond over the beauty of nature as they learn how to camp, hunt, and live off the land in the countryside.
“Chinese Puzzle” (France) meanwhile takes place in New York where a man decides to move after his ex-wife brings their children there, following their divorce. The film, which stars acclaimed French stars Romain Duris and Audrey Tautou, is the third film in director Cédric Klapisch’s Spanish Apartment trilogy.
The Netherlands’ “Mister Twister—Class of Fun,” tells about a young substitute teacher’s unique teaching antics.
Other movies: “The Godmother” (Romania), a gangster movie; “Ice Dragon” (Sweden), “The Hunt” (Denmark); “Lóve” (Slovakia); and “A Gun in Each Hand” (Spain); and “Two-Seater-Rocket” (Austria); “Planet Ocean” (Switzerland).
There will be a film appreciation with producer Alemberg Ang as speaker on Sept. 12 and a forum between Filipino filmmakers and European Union’s cultural officers from Spain, Italy, and France on Sept. 20.
Filipino movies featured are “Magnifico” and “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” on Sept. 12, and “Norte” and “Hangganan ng Kasaysayan” on Sept. 20.
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