Entertainment News (09/29/20)

Instituto Cervantes’ PELÍCULA film fest goes online

FROM Oct. 3 to 11, the 19^th edition of the PELÍCULA – Spanish Film Festival will feature the best of contemporary Spanish cinema online. Presented by Instituto Cervantes and the Embassies of Spain in the Philippines, Thailand and Australia, the 2020 Spanish Film Festival will screen online eight feature films and four short films. The coronavirus crisis has posed the greatest challenge in the history of the Festival, and PELÍCULA has responded by offering online screenings and webinars; and by expanding to two other countries. Each movie will be available for viewing for free at for 24 hours, starting at 6 p.m. (in the Philippines and Thailand) and 8 p.m. (in Australia), on the programmed screening date. The festival films are: La filla d’algú (2019), El increíble finde menguante (2019), the comedy Asamblea (2019), dramas Jaulas (2018) and Arima (2019), and documentaries Mudar la piel (2018) and El cuadro (2019). PELÍCULA will also feature Latin American cinema, with one film from Costa Rica, El despertar de las hormigas (2019). Aside from online screenings, webinars and online discussions are also programmed. Within Cineclub PELíCULA, writer Jessica Zafra will moderate several online discussions about films screened in the Festival, with the participation of the directors of the movies. There will be a round-table discussion about “Marketing Asian Cinema in Europe and Spanish Cinema in Asia,” and directors of major Spanish, Thai, and Filipino film festivals will discuss the question: “Any Future for Film Festivals?” These may be accessed free of charge through the site . For the schedule, film details and further information on the Festival, visit , or , or the Facebook page of Instituto Cervantes:

Gretchen Ho leads Girl Talk web special

WORLD Vision Celebrity Ambassador Gretchen Ho will headline Girl Talk, a special live webinar that will discuss and highlight issues young girls and women are facing today. The webinar, entitled “#GirlsCanDoBusiness,” will be held on Sept. 30, and is focused on affirming young entrepreneurs’ business journey. The live stream will start at 6 p.m. on World Vision’s official Facebook page. This event will be live and free for all. Human Nature’s President Anna Meloto-Wilk, The SHEeo Society’s Founder Maine Uy, and SlashIgnite’s Founder and Chief Igniter Noreen Bautista will join “Girl Talk” to share their knowledge and personal insights from years of being women leaders in business. The live webinar is part of World Vision’s ongoing “1000 Girls” campaign, which is aimed at empowering girls by helping them discover their potential and achieve their dreams, especially during these challenging times. The campaign’s theme this year is “#GirlsCan.” For details on the webinar and how to sponsor a girl,�� visit https://www.worldvision.org.ph/1000girls/, follow /worldvisionph on Facebook and @worldvisionphl on Instagram for updates.

YouTube to hold 1^st virtual fanfest

YOUTUBE will be holding its first ever virtual YouTube FanFest on Oct. 11, 4 p.m., live streamed on YouTube FanFest’s official YouTube channel. Presented by Globe and Piattos, the event will feature over 150 creators and artists from across the region with special appearances from global YouTube stars. Among the participating top global YouTube stars are Alex Wassabi, Matt Steffanina, the Merrell Twins, and Mike Chen. Also participating are Philippine YouTube stars including Ranz Kyle, Niana Guerrero, Natalia Guerrero, Mimiyuuuh, Ben&Ben, FumiShun Base, AC Bonifacio. Some of the Philippine participants will have virtual meet and greet moments leading to the Fan Fest event. There will be dedicated country spotlight segments featuring homegrown creators and hosted in local languages. This year, YouTube is hosting a series of virtual Creator Camps which will show the next generation of YouTube stars’ ways to elevate the quality of video and strengthen content strategy. For more information on YouTube FanFest, visit http://www.youtubefanfest.com.

PhilPop announces top 15 finalists for songwriting competition

FROM thousands of submissions, PhilPop has completed its roster of Top 15 Finalists. The last batch of finalists from North Luzon, South Luzon, and Metro Manila cluster were announced during the livestream of PhilPop Q&A and Kuwentuhan Sessions on Sept. 23. The final batch of finalists who made it to PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 are: North Luzon — Abegail Esteban and TJ Paeldon for “Agsardeng,” Lolito Go for “Balikan,” Angelic Mateo for “Paos”; South Luzon — Kulas Basilonia for “Para Kay Catriona,” Chochay Magno for “Lunod,” Princess Roselle C. Germina, “Bitaw”; Metro Manila — Kian Dionisio for “Huling Sayaw,” Aikee for “Bestiny,” and Aikee for “Mapa.” They will be joining other contenders from the Visayas and Mindanao clusters, which include amateur and professional composers and songwriters.��