Korean Embassy officials, members of the diplomatic corps, city officials, and film enthusiasts recently gathered together to celebrate Korea’s vibrant cinema and culture when the 2016 Korean Film Festival unreeled at SM Cinemas in six cities around the Philippines.
The six-week film festival was first launched in SM City Clark in Pampanga, followed by SM Lanang Premier in Davao, SM City Iloilo, SM City Cebu, SM City Dasmariñas, and lastly, in SM Megamall, giving mallgoers, including members of the local Korean communities in the different areas, the rare opportunity to have a glimpse of Korean films.
A joint project of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and SM, the festival inspired a deeper understanding of Korea’s cultural diversity with this year’s theme, “Strong Hearts”, in which five critically acclaimed films showed characters with strong personalities and those who pursue their goals and desires with courage and determination.
The thriving film industry of Korea represents their country’s open-mindedness, nationalism, and creativity in storytelling, acting, and technological prowess. Filipinos were delighted by the Korean culture shown in the films. The five films in the 2016 Korean Film Festival –Ode To My Father, The Beauty Inside, How to Use Guys with Secret Tips, Confession of Murder, and The Suspect were all well received by the viewers in these key cities around the Philippines.
The 2016 Korean Film Festival is one of the many interesting cultural events of SM Cinema.