MANILA, Philippines — Maryo J. de los Reyes’s “Bamboo Flowers” will be presented at the fourth ASEAN Film Festival in Prague (AFFP) on September 11.
“Bamboo Flowers” revolves around the lives of people in the province of Bohol in the Central Philippines. The movie depicts stories of young people struggling to hurdle their family’s financial difficulties, of young love, their hopes and ambitions.
The film also showcases the lives of people in Bohol having to grapple with the influx of tourists and the demands of modernity that challenge their traditional thinking and way of life.
The symbolism of bamboo flowers is that they grow on trees that are in their final stages of life toward their eventual demise. Director de los Reyes, a native of Bohol, points out how old traditions are eroded by new ones introduced by lifestyle shifts, urbanization and technology.
The Philippine Embassy in Prague will present the premier Filipino director’s film with the support of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
The event is organized by the ASEAN Committee in Prague, which consists of the embassies of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The AFFP, which is on its fourth run, promotes cultural understanding between the Czech Republic and ASEAN member countries through films that showcase the ASEAN region’s values, identity and culture. Admission to the screenings is free.