Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015 is the next attraction to be expected here at iChill Theater Cafe. As early as now, loyal patrons are surely in for a treat for the roster of Spanish short films and feature films in tow. Genres range from horror to drama and others. In true musical theater fashion, zarzuela screening would also be available.

Witness Spanish arts and culture here in the Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015. And it will not be complete without the zarzuela. Its origins are traced way back to the Royal Court of King Philip IV of Spain. It has lines sung and spoken alternately. Much like musicals on Broadway and West End.

If the roots of zarzuela would be discussed, it has more in common with contemporary musical theater than classical opera. Most renowned performers of zarzuela though are classically trained in voice culture. Its most popular superstars are the late Alfredo Kraus, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo.

As you can see in this snippet below from the evergreen classic zarzuela “Dona Francisquita”. The dance numbers are just as captivating as that of the song numbers. And why not? It revels in Spanish culture that is filled with passion. It is ignited with the smoldering heat associated with the scorching summer. The most common dance numbers found in zarzuela productions are flamenco-based. This ensures a pleasant treat for customers that would attend the Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015 at iChill Theater Cafe.

Apart from the zarzuela screenings. The Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015 would also show several independent short films. Entries from all over the world with Spanish as its mother tongue will be screened here at iChill Theater Cafe. One of the feature length films on the list so far is Alfonso Cuaron’s “Y Tu Mama Tambien” (And Your Mother Too).

“Y Tu Mama Tambien” is one coming-of-age film. It lets you in on a ride to sexual awakening. It was presented in the point of view of two young boys. Bored from having left by their respective girlfriends. They concocted a plan to take away a woman they met in a wedding party. She is just as bored as them. So she went along. Sex, drugs and that thing called “independence” gets them pushing the boundaries. Everything exhilarates into that proverbial high. Until emotions crash down. All events occur with political unrest going on in the background.

The other feature length film featured is Cambio de Sentido (Changing Directions). It is an independent feature length film by Kuya Manzano. Yes, Kuya Manzano the proprietor of iChill Theater Cafe. He dabbled in independent filmmaking too. And with so much inspiration from directors like Woody Allen and musicals like The Rocky Horror Show and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He made a psychedelic film like Cambio de Sentido possible. The best way to explain it is about a parallel universe where nothing is prohibited.

Cambio de Sentido pokes fun at “civilized society”. It does this by presenting men in situations where they are not likely to be caught alive doing. There are song numbers, flamboyant make-up and masturbation. Yes, give a man a parallel universe where he is free to do whatever he wanted. And the first thing he could manage think of is his penis. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Go see it in living color here at the Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015. Don’t tell me I didn’t wan’t you.

The Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015 schedule is as follows:

• Friday 31 July 2015, 8pm: Horror Feature Film – Who will be born

• Friday 31 July 2015, 10pm: Musical Theater Night with Zarzuela Screening and Broadway Open Mic

• Saturday 1 August 2015, 6pm: Short Film Screening

• Saturday 1 August 2015, 8pm: Feature film – Y Tu Mama Tambien

• Saturday 1 August 2015, 10pm: Feature film – Cambio de Sentido

Be constantly updated when it comes to the list of short films. They will be screened at the Spanish Film Festival Manila 2015. Click here to join us in our events page. Follow iChill Theater Cafe on our social media accounts. Like us on Facebook, iChill Theater Cafe. And follow us on Twitter @iChillTheater. May the coffee be with you.