Enter the world of Chinese cinema with the Spring Festival at Shangri-La Plaza
Sometimes, the only thing separating one from a marvelous film are subtitles. Beyond local and Hollywood films, there’s a whole lot of exciting movies being produced internationally. One country churning out films worth watching is China, which made over a thousand films in the past year.
This month at Shangri-La Plaza, Chinese film is placed front and center at the 14th Spring Festival. Kicking off 2020 with a bang, the annual festival is organized in partnership with the Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, the Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. Catch six popular Chinese films from January 19 to 26 at Red Carpet. The entire festival is completely free, so mall guests can enjoy each unique offering.
For those looking for an action-packed monster movie, Zhang Yimou’s The Great Wall is an ideal choice. When European mercenaries arrive in Song dynasty China in search for gunpowder, they become embroiled in the defense of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures. Featuring Hollywood blockbuster star Matt Damon alongside Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, and Willem Dafoe, the movie paints a fantastical epic portrait of ancient China.
An animated adventure awaits audiences in The Monkey King 2, a Hong Kong-Chinese film about a Tang Priest who is appointed by Buddha to go to the West and fetch the sacred scriptures, only to accidentally free the Monkey King. Filled with surreal 3D effects and kooky human-animal hybrids, it’s a fun look into Chinese fantasy film.
Little Door Gods is another animated film perfect for families. It follows a soup vendor’s family as the business falls on hard times. To help them get back on track, spirit guardians come alive to grant them prosperity. But with modern technology, people don’t believe in the guardians anymore, so the spirits set out to make people trust in their value again.
Battle of Memories is a gripping sci-fi movie about Jiang Feng, a writer who undergoes a procedure to erase some of his memories. However, due to an incident at the memory center, he accidentally switches his restore card with someone else’s. When his wife demands that he restore his memories, he instead finds himself in the mind of a serial killer.
Our Shining Days is a fun musical comedy about a group of high school students who try to revive a Chinese orchestra ensemble. They face many challenges along the way to compete nationally, such as dealing with music snobs who prefer Western classical music over Chinese orchestra.
In superhero parody movie Jian Bing Man, a popular TV personality gets embroiled in a scandal that forces him to make his own movie with a tiny budget. He decides to adapt a script about an alien who arrives on earth and has several silly adventures as a superhero.
Mall guests can also look forward to more exciting Spring Festival events at the Shang. Traditional Chinese paintings and scrolls are on display at the Confucius Institute Painting Exhibit from January 19 to 26. Catch the special Chinese musical event led by the Philippine Cultural College Chinese Orchestra and featuring a Wu Shu and Lion dance by Northern Rizal Yorklin School on January 25 from 2:00 to 3:30PM.
On January 26 from 2:00 to 4:00PM, learn all about the fine craft of traditional Chinese art with the Chinese Painting Workshop by Art Association of the Philippines President Master Fidel M. Sarmiento and Vice President Roger Santos.
#FeelTheShangVibe as the roster of exciting Chinese films take over Red Carpet to usher in a fresh start to the new year, only at Shangri-La Plaza!
For inquiries, call 8-370-2597 or 98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial. Follow the Shang on Instagram: @shangrilaplazaofficial.
14th Spring Film Festival Screening Schedule
Venue: Cinema 4, Red Carpet at the Shangri-La Plaza
Date Time Film
January 19
(Sunday) 3:00 PM Our Shining Days
5:10 PM Little Door Gods
7:30 PM The Monkey King 2
January 20
(Monday) 2:55 PM The Great Wall
5:10 PM Jian Bing Man
7:30 PM The Monkey King 2
January 21
(Tuesday) 3:00 PM Little Door Gods
5:20 PM Our Shining Day
7:30 PM Battle of Memories
January 22
(Wednesday) 2:45 PM Jian Bing Man
5:00 PM The Monkey King 2
7:30 PM Our Shining Days
January 23
(Thursday) 2:50 PM Our Shining Days
5:00 PM Battle of Memories
7:30 PM Little Door Gods
January 24
(Friday) 2:45 PM The Monkey King 2
5:15 PM The Great Wall
7:30 PM Jian Bing Man
January 25
(Saturday) 2:40 PM Battle of Memories
5:10 PM Little Door Gods
7:30 PM Our Shining Days
January 26
(Sunday) 3:00 PM Our Shining Days
5:10 PM Little Door Gods
7:30 PM The Monkey King 2