by Denzel Almanzor
MANILA – Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) opened the first mini-movie theater in Manila that will cater not just for film connoisseurs.
In addition to the 101-seater theater, Cinematheque Center Manila (CCM), located at 855 T.M. Kalaw Street in Ermita, also features a new museum called the Museo ng Pelikulang Pilipino, which houses film equipment, posters and iconic artifacts of the local silver screen.
It also has classrooms, a library scheduled to open this year, a souvenir shop and a café, serving a welcome stopover from all that walking inside the 2,000-square meter temple for Philippine film.
It’s the newest facility opened by the FDCP which doubles as the organization’s new headquarters and the office of the National Film Archives of the Philippines (NFAP). To date, the FDCP have centers in Baguio, Davao, Iloilo, and Zamboanga.
January is a good time to visit the new CCM. Celebrating its inauguration last December, FDCP will be hosting special screenings of Filipino and Danish films starting this Friday (January 8) to January 31.
The restored version of National Artist Lino Brocka’s 1975 world classic “Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag” will lead the inaugural screening. Movie geeks should also watch out for other renowned films such as fellow National Artist Lamberto Avellana’s “A Portrait of Artist as Filipino” (1965) and Henry Francia’s “On My Way to India Consciousness, I Reached China” (1968) will also be screened
A prime selection of Danish films will also be screened along with the local films. Topping the list are The Hunt (Jagten), In a Better World (Hævnen) and Babette’s Feast (Babette’s gæstebud). These films were selected by FDCP in cooperation with the Embassy of Denmark in the Philippines.
For a more detailed movie schedule and information, you can contact FDCP at (708-7920) visit their website http://www.fdcp.ph/ and facebook account at https://www.facebook.com/FDCPSinengPambansa/?fref=ts
