The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) is set to showcase five widely acclaimed movies in the first Benilde Human Rights Film Festival, July 11 to 15, at the SDA Cinema.
All films, with the exception of The Look of Silence (P100.00 admission price), is free and open to the public.
The opening feature is Gil Portes’ historical biopic Hermano Pule, which is based on the life of 19th century religious revolutionary leader Apolinario dela Cruz. It will be screened at 1 to 3 p.m. today. It is the unfinished version of the movie due to lack of funds. The director describes it as a “work in progress.”
The Act of Killing will be screened at 3 p.m. tomorrow, July 12. It is a 2012 documentary that focuses on the 1965 Indonesian massacres. It won the 2013 European Film Award for Best Documentary, the Asia Pacific Screen Award, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 86th Academy Awards.
On the same day at 5 p.m., its companion piece, The Look of Silence, which revolves around a middle-aged Indonesian man and his confrontation with the murderers of his brother, will also be shown. It has been nominated for the Best Documentary Feature at the 88th Academy Awards.
The German movie, The Lives of Others, is scheduled at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13. A political thriller with human drama, it deals with a spy and his personal involvement with the couple he keeps tabs on. It won Best Foreign Language Film at the 2007 Academy Awards.
Whistleblower, to be highlighted on Wednesday, July 13, 5 p.m., is a complex tale of corruption where journalists run an expose on government officials’ dubious transactions. The film stars the legendary Nora Aunor. Filmmaker Adolph Alix Jr. will be present for post-screening discussions.
Batas Militar, which closes the festival on Thursday, July 14, 3 p.m., is a narrative of the Martial Law years, made alive with exclusive interviews, numerous photographs, and never-before-seen film footage and video recordings of the era. Director and filmmaker Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, a Philippine broadcast journalist, will also be at screening.
For inquiries and reservations about the film screenings, please call 230-5100 local 3897 or email [email protected].