Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno with Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro (left photo) and Vice Consul Flaureen Dacanay (right photo).

04 August 2015 - Reaffirming Italy’s commitment to strengthen ties with the Philippines, Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Roscigno visited the Philippine Pavilion in Venice on August 01. Philippine Consul General Marichu Mauro accompanied the Ambassador through the Pavilion. The first part is the the showing of the 1950  film “Genghis Khan”  by Manuel Conde and co-written by Carlos Francisco. The same film was shown in the Venice Film Festival in 1952 where it competed with the films of Chaplin, Fellini and Bergman. It was explained to the Ambassador that the film and the Pavilion itself attempts to initiate reflection on the changing configurations of the present world especially on the meaning of country, territory, border and freedom.

The Ambassador also watched the 20-minute sound-and-video installation “A Dashed State” by Manny Montelibano which captures the ways of life in the island of Palawan and the sound of epic and radio frequencies passing through the West Philippine Sea. He also saw the installation “Shoal” by Jose Tence Ruiz, which resembles the BRP Sierra Madre, a vessel of Vietnam War vintage that is presently beached at the Ayungin Shoal also in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippine Pavilion in Palazzo Mora continues to attract tourists and art critics alike. It will be open to the public until November 22 this year. END