16 November 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Victoria S. Bataclan and Embassy personnel join local film enthusiasts in witnessing the screening of the Lav Diaz film “Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan” at Bozar/Centre for Fine Arts on November 11.
The Royal Film Archive in Brussels (CINEMATEK), Courtisane and Bozar/Centre for Fine Arts Brussels with the support and cooperation of the Philippine Embassy in Brussels, have embarked on a joint venture to showcase over 20 films from acclaimed Filipino directors Lav Diaz and Lino Brocka in Belgium from September 09 to November 06.
The highlight of the Retrospective: Lav Diaz was “NORTE, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan” (Norte, the End of History) which was screened in the presence of multi-awarded director Lav Diaz and Hazel Orencio, one of the stars of the film, both of whom were in Brussels from November 10 to 13.
The screening of “Norte” was immediately followed by an open forum moderated by Belgian film critique Stoffel Debuysere.
During his visit in Belgium, Lav Diaz also joined a round-table conversation with students from the University of Antwerp about the film “Storm Children – Book One” which is actually a documentary of the lives of children after Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda.
Retrospective: Lav Diaz screened movies such as “Hubad sa Ilalim ng Buwan”, “Batang WestSide”, ‘Hesus Rebolusyonaryo”, “Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino”, “Heremias: Unang Aklat – Ang Alamat ng Prinsesang Bayawak”, “Kagadanan sa Banwaan nig mga Engkanto”, “Milancholia”, “Prologo sa Ang Dakilang Desparecido”, “Walang Alaala ang mga Paru-paro”, “Siglo ng Pagluluwal”, “Pagsisiyasat sa Gabing Ayaw Lumimot”, “Florentina Hubaldo”, “Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon”, and “Mga Anak ng Unos, Unang Aklat”. It also featured such Lino Brocka movies as “Insiang”, “Jaguar”, “Bayan ko: Kapit sa Patalim”, “Maynila, sa Kuko ng Liwanag”, and “Orapronobis”.
The Lino Brocka films were brought to Belgium through the efforts of Pierre Rissient, French cineaste who was a close friend of Lino Brocka and who is an admirer of his works. END