MADRID, Spain, March 9, 2017–Screening for the first time in St. Ignacio de Loyola’s homeland, “Ignacio de Loyola” premiered March 4 to rave reviews at the Cines Dreams in Palacio de Hielo in Spain’s capital.
In his remarks that night, Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i., Emmanuel R. Fernandez described the film as a “shining example of how well Filipinos and Spaniards can work together on projects that could benefit not only Spain and the Philippines, but the world community in general.”
“This film is destined to touch the lives of many people around the world in a very positive way. And it gives me pride to say that it is the result of the collaboration between very talented Filipino filmmakers and equally talented Spanish actors,” he added.
7 decades of diplomatic relations
Fernandez noted the “appropriate” timing of the film’s launching in Spain since 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Spain.
He said: “It is a year for us to celebrate the friendship between our two countries…but it is also a year during which we must look beyond our mutual accomplishments and search for other, broader ways of collaborating with one another. If the Filipino and Spanish talents who worked together on this film could produce something as splendid as this, then there is no reason for us to doubt that our two countries and our respective peoples could accomplish many more wonderful things in the years ahead.”
According to a news report from the Philippine Embassy in Spain, the flim was also part of the 6th edition of Madrimaná Film Festival, a film festival organized by the cultural arm of the Archdiocese of Madrid and the non-profit organization, Madrimaná Association.
“Ignacio de Loyola”, which was produced by Philippine-based Jesuit Communications (JesCom), will be released to the Spanish public in May.
Filipino production
Madrid Archbishop Carlos Cardinal Osoro, Spanish-Filipina celebrity Isabel Preysler, and internationally acclaimed writer and Nobel Prize winner for Literature Mario Vargas Llosa graced the screening of the film, which was jointly made by Filipino filmmakers and Spanish actors.
The production team was headed by Paolo Dy as director; Pauline Mangilog-Saltarin as producer; Lee Briones Meily as lighting director; and Ryan Cayabyab for the musical scoring.
The premiere night featured a photo call session and a short program before the screening where Madrimaná Festival director Teresa Okobo, Cardinal Carlos Osoro, lead actor Andreas Muñoz, and CDA, a.i., Fernandez addressed the audience.
The film was shown in the Philippines in July 2016 and was graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board in the Philippines. Aside from receiving a nomination for Best Picture at the 2016 New York International Film Festival, the film also won the Audience Choice Award at the 2016 Festival Internaciónal de Cine con Valores in Guadalajara, Mexico. CBCPNews
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