This weekend, the Australian Embassy is hosting a free and on-demand film festival to celebrate Philippines-Australia Friendship Day.
“We are very pleased to be one of only five countries with an annual friendship day celebration, in our case on 22 May as set out in Presidential Proclamation 1282. This is an opportunity to celebrate our strong links each year,” said Australian Ambassador Steven J. Robinson AO,
“Normally we celebrate Friendship Day at different cities around the Philippines. The COVID-19 situation limited our ability to bring the celebration, physically, to other cities this year. Nevertheless, we are putting together an online program which means everyone across the Philippines can be part of the celebration.”
On 22 and 23 May the Embassy will host on mateshipandbayanihan.com the Asian premiere of three full-length Australian Films: Lion, an Australian biographical drama based on the book A Long Way Home, and stars Nicole Kidman, Dev Patel, and Rooney Mara; Little Monsters, a zombie comedy film featuring Lupita Nyong’o, Alexander England and Josh Gad; and H is for Happiness, an optimistic family film based on the award-winning Australian book, My Life As An Alphabet.
Lion was nominated in various categories at the 2017 Oscars, and won Best Motion Picture in the Golden Globes 2017 and in other prestigious award-giving bodies.
The film program will also feature a selection of seven short films from Flickerfest, Australia’s only Academy® Award accredited and BAFTA recognised Short Film festival.
“We have worked with Screen Australia and Flickerfest to provide Filipino film lovers the opportunity to experience Australian filmmaking excellence and learn more about Australian contemporary culture,” said Ambassador Robinson.
The weekend “Stream and Sip” festival will also highlight Australian music on Spotify and Australian films on Netflix. The Embassy will also be offering a ‘Taste of Australia‘ experience by bringing together online retailers of the freshest and finest Australian fruits, food, and beverage.
Ambassador Robinson said, “Food brings people together, so sharing Australian and Filipino food is a perfect way to celebrate Friendship Day. Australian food and beverages reflect the pristine environment and high standards of food safety in Australia. It’s a pleasure to be able to share Australian-made and grown products that Filipinos can enjoy at home to create delicious meals for their families.”