The Philippine Embassy in Moscow said on Thursday two Filipino films won praise from movie goers and critics at the recent 31st Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF). Avant-garde Filipino directors Adolfo Alix Jr. and Raya Martin received awards that recognize “Manila,” an independently-produced film that pays homage to Filipino cinema classics released two decades ago, and “Adela,” a tender portrayal of a former radio star featuring Anita Linda. The two films were screened five times for the general public and the media in the “Films Around the World” category at the Oktyabr Cinema Multiplex and the Khudozhestvenny cinema. Alix, who directed “Adela” and the “Night” segment of “Manila,” inspired by Lino Brocka's “Jaguar” (1979), told Ambassador to Russia Victor G. Garcia III at the screening last Monday in Moscow that the MIFF sought him out after both films, produced by MJM Production and Bicycle Pictures, were selected from the competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2009. The first half of “Manila” – its Day segment directed by Raya Martin – was inspired by Ishmael Bernal's “Manila by Night” (1980). Both parts were starred in and co-produced by popular actor Piolo Pascual. The 31st MIFF close on Saturday with a total of 40,000 viewers seeing 500 films, including 16 in competition. “Pete on the Way to Heaven” by Russian Nikolai Dostal's got the Golden St. George award.
