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The Philippines Embassy in Brasilia reported that Filipino film The Red Shoes was chosen as one of the Best Picture winners at the 27th Bogota Film Festival.

The film festival was held in the Colombian capital from September 29 to October 7.

The movie received the Jurors Recognition Award.

It was the only Asian film among the 16 films competing in the Festival, along with films from the United States, Finland, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

According to Philippine Ambassador to Brazil and non-resident Ambassador to Colombia Eva Betita, the honor given to The Red Shoes is a milestone not only for its producer Unitel Entertainment, but also for Philippine cinema in general, which is steadily gaining popularity in South America.

The Red Shoes depicts the life of Lucas Munozca who, as a ten-year old boy, took a pair of red high heels from an exhibition of the thousands of shoes belonging to former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

The stolen pair of shoes is the focal point of the story of his youth, family life, career and enduring love for a childhood friend.

The Red Shoes director Raul Jorolan is a Fine Arts graduate who started his career at an advertising agency. He is a passionate painter, graphic designer and storyteller with a great sense of humor.

Like Mr. Jorolan, scriptwriter James Ladioray is also connected with the advertising industry. The movie is Mr. Ladioray's second full-length screenplay.

The 27th Bogota Film Festival is the first international competition to present the movie, and is among the biggest and most important film festivals in South America.

Festival director Henry Laguado told Ambassador Betita during their meeting in Bogota last July that he has been seeking Philippine participation in this annual showcase of international films for the past several years.

Ambassador Betita assured the Festival organizer that the Embassy would help bring Filipino films to Colombia.

In early September, Ambassador Betita met with Unitel Productions' Executive Vice President Tito Velasco and Project Development Manager Guia Gonzales and discussed the Embassy's initiatives in actively pursuing the promotion of Filipino films as part of its cultural and economic diplomacy work in Brazil and Colombia.

Last June and July, the Philippine Cinema Showcase was held in three major Brazilian cities. The showcase featured internationally-acclaimed films of 12 Filipino filmmakers.


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