MANILA, Philippines - With the much- anticipated World Cup kicking off this month in Johannesburg, South Africa, Instituto Cervantes de Manila is joining the football fever as it presents Fútbol, a film cycle which showcases movies and a documentary about the world’s most popular sport.
Instituto Cervantes’ Fútbol has a special four-film line-up that offers the best Spanish and Latin-American films on the sport. Screenings will be held every Saturday, 6 p.m. at the center’s Salon de Actos.
Fútbol opens on June 5 with Amando A Maradona (Loving Maradona), a documentary that follows the life story of Argentina´s legendary football player, Diego Armando Maradona. In this film, Maradona narrates his beginnings — from his impoverished childhood to his remarkable rise to stardom. The soccer star also bares details about the controversial “Hand of God”¨goal, as well as the places that have been part of his life such as Naples, Barcelona, Cuba, Rio de Janeiro, among others. This documentary is directed by Javier Vázquez.
David Serrano’s comedy flick Días de fútbol (Soccer Days) will be screened on June 12; Hannes Stöhr’s Galatasaray Dépor (One Day in Europe), on June 19; and La gran final (The Great Match), on June 26.
Fútbol is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines, and Spanish International Cooperation Agency for Development (AECID).
Admission to all the screenings is free on a first-come-first-served basis. For information, call 526-1482 or visit http://manila.cervantes.es. Instituto Cervantes de Manila is at 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila.