PH Named 2019 Guest Country of Honor at Mexican Int’l Film Fest
Philippine Embassy in Mexico Chargé d´Affaires, a.i. Faith Valerie Tan (leftmost), conveys the Philippines’ appreciation for being invited as GIFF´s Guest Country of Honor. (Mexico PE photo)
MEXICO 31 January 2019 – In celebration of its 100 years of cinema, the Philippines was officially announced as the 2019 Guest Country of Honor at the official launch of the XXII Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF) press conference at the Cinemex Reforma in Mexico City on 23 January 2019.
The GIFF is Mexico’s largest international film festival and Latin America’s largest platform for young filmmakers. This year’s festival will run from 19 to 28 July 2019 in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Guanajuato Capital and San Miguel de Allende. More than 200,000 visitors are expected to attend the film festival.
During the press conference, Chargé d´Affaires, a.i. Faith Valerie Tan expressed appreciation for the invitation extended to the Philippines as Guest Country of Honor and conveyed that the
Philippines would be the first Southeast Asian country to participate as Guest Country at the GIFF. She also highlighted that the Philippines’ participation in the film festival will be an opportune time to bring Filipino culture to Mexico.
Aside from celebrating 100 years of Philippine Cinema this year, the Philippines and Mexico will also celebrate 66 years of bilateral relations, and the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Philippines-Mexico Cultural Agreement.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines, together with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, will spearhead the creation of the Philippine Spotlight Program and Guest Country participation of the Philippines at the GIFF.
Apart from its film industry, the Philippines hopes to promote other aspects of its culture such as music, culinary arts, and fashion during the 10-day festival. END
Chargé d´Affaires, a.i. Tan with the organizers and directors of the 22nd Guanajuato International Film Festival. (Mexico PE photo)