‘Choose your own ending’ German film leads 20th Cine Europa film fest lineup

The European Delegation to the Philippines and member states' embassies in partnership with Shangri-La Plaza is marking the 20th anniversary of the Cine Europa Film Festival with an impressive lineup of contemporary and local film.

Cine Europa opens on September 16 and the organizers are working on the final schedule for the festival.

At the top of the list of film to be screened are two entries from Germany — a favorite among cinephiles, "Lola rennt" (Run Lola Run), and "Terror - Ihr Urteil" (The Verdict) a recent experiential movie aired on TV in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Tom Tykwer's "Run Lola Run" (1998) gained critical acclaim for its clever use of nonlinear storytelling, exploring free will, determinism, and chance. "The Verdict" (2016) dives into similar themes, but hands the decision to the audience.

Directed by Lars Kraume and written by Oliver Berben, "The Verdict" follows the trial of a military pilot, Major Lars Koch, who defies the orders of his superiors and shoots a hijacked passenger plane minutes away from crashing into a stadium filled with 70,000 people.

His action saved 70,000 but resulted in the death of 164 innocent people and he stands accused of first degree homicide. Two witnesses are called to the stand, both the prosecutor and the defense make their case, but in the end, it is the viewers who play the jury.

When it aired in the small screen in German-speaking countries, viewers were instructed to send their votes online or by phonecall. In the Philippines, the audience will be asked to vote with a show of hands.

Only two outcomes are available: Guilty or not guilty. The verdict that gets more votes will be aired.

First Secretary Jerome Riviere of the European Delegation to the Philippines during the press launch on Wednesday said that they are looking forward to showcasing "more dynamic, unique, and vibrant" movies to present "Europe in its diversity."

"The Verdict" offers a first-hand experience of the difficult decision that need to be made in this era where terrorist threats and attacks regularly make headline in different parts of the world. Where does the law fail and how does it succeed in handling morally grey situations? How do you do the math when human life is involved?

Sacrificing the lives of the few to save the lives of many rings true even in Philippine society, where the argument is used to defend an increasingly disturbing war on drugs.

The audience is invited to place her or himself in the shoes of different characters — Majors Koch, his superior, the prosecutor, and the wife of a passenger who perished in the crash — before making the decision.

The lineup includes 24 films from 16 countries, including:

1. Deine Schönheit ist nichts wert (Your Beauty is Worth Nothing), 2012, Austria
2. Les Barons (The Barons), 2009, Belgium
3. Monkey, 2016, Bulgaria
4. And?l Pán? 2 (An Angel of the Lord), 2016, Czech Republic
5. Babettes gæstebud (Babette's Feast), 1987, Denmark
6. Sult (Hunger), 1966, Denmark
7. Jules et Jim (Jules and Jim), 1961, France
8. Souvenir, 2016, France
9. Lola rennt (Run Lola Run), 1998, Germany
10. Terror - Ihr Urteil (The Verdict), 2016, Germany
11. Utóélet (Afterlife), 2014, Hungary
12. I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street), 1958, Italy
13. 20 Sigarette (20 Cigarettes), 2010, Italy
14. De He van ’63 (The Hell of ’63), 2009, Netherlands
15. Veiviseren (Pathfinder), 1997, Norway
16. Bølgen (The Wave), 2015, Norway
17. Aniversarea (The Anniversary), 2017, Romania
18. Doua lozuri (Two Lottery Tickets), 2016, Romania
19. Perinbaba (The Feather Fairy), 1985, Slovakia
20. Wilsonov (Wilson City), 1966, Slovakia
21. TRUMAN, 2015, Spain
22. El ángel exterminador (The Exterminating Angel), 1962, Spain
23. Flickan Mamman och Demonerna (The Girl, The Mother and the Demons), 1966, Sweden
24. A Moving Image, 2016, United Kingdom

Cine Europa will run from September 16 to 26 at the Shang Cineplex. It will travel to Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Baybay, and Puerto Princesa before going back to Manila. — LA, GMA News

For inquires, contact +632 3702500 local 597 and login to the official Shangri-La Plaza Facebook page and EU Delegation to the Philippines Facebook page for updates.