Monday, November 25, 2013

Dia de Los Muertos - Day of the Dead - Celebrated in Singapore


2nd November 2013. Celebrated with the Latin Americans in Singapore this special day, The Day of the dead also known as Dia De Los Muertos. Its always in conjunction with Halloween which falls on 31st Oct 2013.

You can check out how it is actually celebrated in the entry I wrote when I was in Mexico a few years back.

This is like our 清明 but in a more extravagant manner.But the purpose is the same which is to remember their deceased love ones.

Just as how the Latin Americans community is well-known for its closeness and also their friendliness, the Ambassador for the Latin American community opened his house for this gathering.
People from all walks of life and from many different countries gathered to know more about this festival and of course, with Latin Americans, expected a great helluva party filled with dancing and drinking ( it didn't happen that night though - I think because the ambassador had to ensure safety in his house lol)


Yes. They had set this in the living room. Great effort to spread the feeling about this festival :)
This invoke all the traditional Day of the Dead elements, re-creating a Mexican village whose paths are lined with marigold-strewn altars created by local artists to remember loved ones who have died. Mariachi and salsa tunes will fill the air, with the promise of a spin around the dance floor with the flirtatious, fabulously dressed skeleton.


Honoring the dead with gifts of sugar skulls, chocolate, marigolds (the Mexican flower of death), sweetbreads and trinkets, families also typically visit graves to deliver the ofrendas, or “offerings,” and hold vigils with candles and photos.

And the skeleton is known as La Catrina (In their mexican fiesta dresses).

Taken from an article
"Catrina has come to symbolize not only El Día de los Muertos and the Mexican willingness to laugh at death itself, but originally catrina was an elegant or well-dressed woman, so it refers to rich people," de la Torre said. "Death brings this neutralizing force; everyone is equal in the end. Sometimes people have to be reminded."



There's also some who said: According to the legend, La Catrina was a selfish, greedy rich woman who did nothing to help the poor. Many now mock her every year by dressing in ornate garb, painting their faces white and detailing features to look like a caricature of a skeleton.

Well, depends on which one you prefer to believe.
 
And the amazing hosts baked cakes for this occasion and we had catered Mexican food (which I did not take pictures because I was too hungry) - there were Frescas -Jamaica (Hibiscus Drink), Tacos, Leche con Arroz (Sweet milk with rice), Frijoles (My favorite beans) and many more.


 
To end off this splendid night, the ladies were all given sugar skulls.
And a photo with the Ambassador.
Lucky us. hahahaha






Thursday, November 21, 2013

The Kingdom' - Sophomore Recording Project by Alarice

I'm so glad someone took the opportunity to invite me to come for the album "The Kingdom" review session by Alarice.

 

I was totally blessed. In the presence of the Lord during the worship session. In reminder that the Lord is indeed so wonderful and so awesome. And touched by the fact that some people truly live for the Lord and to carry his cross in obedience. (Its so easy to say but yet when we have responsibilities and dreams, how hard it is to lay it all down and say O lord I'll follow you)

 
Her songs foundation was on this verse.

And I'm in love with her songs. Will definitely get the album once its appears on the market.
Specially for one of the song. Which goes... "Love is patient. Love is kind...." - I nearly cried at that moment. And I'm not the only one.

Such heart. Such voice.


In prayer. In unison. Believing and trusting in the lord for his providence.


But all these still requires funding. So here's how we can all contribute in helping to make this album come to fruition.

1. Go to http://www.indiegogo.com/
2. Type Alarice Music
3.  This one will appear 'The Kingdom' - Sophomore Recording Project by Alarice"
4. Click on "Contribute now" - Contribute with or without the perk :)


Blessed babe! :)

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Keppel Latin American Film Festival is back! Here in Singapore! 28 Nov to 1 Dec 2013!

Okay. I can't contain my excitement!
Its back! Its back!

I love Latin American film and have been trying to get my Mexican friends to transport back some 'movies' for me. And now I get to watch it here in Singapore.

Last year due to time constraint, I only managed to watch one movie "Espiral" which brought me to tears and also made me think about life quite abit.
You can read it here

This year the movies showcase seems interesting. And I have already loaded it in my calender (in case I forget)

Keppel Latin American Film Festival 2013

28 November - 1 December

THE CATHAY (2 Handy Road, #05/06-00, Singapore 2229233)

Everyone is invited!!

Complimentary tickets will be available for the whole Keppel LAFF Singapore 2013, and will start being issued half an hour before each show, based on "first-come, first-served" basis.




Here's the movies I'm gonna watch.


28th November 2013. Thursday. 21:10
THE CATHAY
Award winning Peruvian film:
THE MILK OF SORROW

SYNOPSIS:
Fausta suffers from “the milk of sorrow”, an illness transmitted through mother’s milk by women who have been violated or mistreated during the war of terrorism in Peru. The war has ended, but Fausta lives to remind of it because “the illness of fear” stole her soul. Now, her mother’s sudden death forces her to confront her fears and the secret that is hidden inside of her: she has inserted a potato into her vagina to serve as a protective shield that repels disgusting intruders. The Milk of Sorrow is the story of a search for re-awakening, a journey from fear to freedom.

AWARDS
• Best foreign Language Film nomination – 82nd Academy Awards, 2010
• Best Peruvian Movie – Peruvian Association of Cinematographic Press, 2009
• Best Movie – Bogota Film Festival, 2009
• Best Movie – Havana Film Festival, 2009
• Best Actress, CONACINE Award, Best Peruvian Movie – Lima Film Festival, 2009
• Best Movie – Association Québécoises des Critiques de Cinéma, 2009
• Best Actress – Montreal World Film Festival, 2009
• Best Movie, Best Actress – Guadalajara International Film Festival, 2009
• FIPRESCI Award – Berlin Film Festival, 2009
• Best Movie – Berlin Golden Bear, 2009


 * The storyline seems interesting to me. A juxtaposition of many emotions.


29 November 2013. Friday. 19:15
THE CATHAY

ECUADOR Comedy. 
EN EL NOMBRE DE LA HIJA - IN THE NAME OF THE GIRL

SYNOPSIS:
Nine-year old Manuela has been named after her socialist-atheist father, but her catholic-conservative grandmother insists she should carry the name the first daughters of the family have carried for generations: Dolores.

The story takes place in a Valley in the Ecuadorian Andes, during the summer of 1976. Manuela and her little brother, Camilo, are spending holidays with their cousins and grandparents at the family’s farmhouse.

Hidden in the family’s abandoned library, schizophrenic uncle Felipe is devoted to setting words free from the constraints of dogmas. His wisdom sets Manuela free from her own dogmas and forever changes her relationship with words, including her own name.

AWARDS
• Audience and Young Jury Award – Festival de Punta del Este, 2013
• UNICEF Award – Vienna Children Film Festival, 2013
• Marco Aurelio Award – International Rome Film Festival, 2012
• Young Jury Award – Val de Marne Film Festival, 2012
• Best Feature Film – Margarita Latin American and Caribbean Film Festival, 2012
• Best Cinematography – Santo Domingo International Film Festival, 2012
• Best Art Direction – Ceara Film Festival, 2012
• Official Selection – Cannes Ecran Junior, 2012
• Caminos Award – International Havana Film Festival, 2011



30 November 2013. Saturday.19:10
THE CATHAY

MEXICO Drama NC16
EL SUEÑO DE LU - THE DREAM OF LU

SYNOPSIS:
The Dream of Lu is a powerful yet sensitive and profoundly human
depiction of the pain that no words can accurately describe: the los sof a son. After an attempted suicide, Lucía reassesses her life in order to move on. Facing the grief over the loss of her son, Sebastián, she discovers new bonds of friendship and small miracles. An encounter and an unexpected journey will help her find her place in life and understand that eternity is contained in an instant.

The work of director Hari Sama explores in a respectful, unobstructive way the different paths of mourning. The result is an intimate account of a process that was actually experienced directly by both, the director and Úrsula Pruneda, who gives live to the main character, Lucía. Hari Sama is convinced that, when filmmaking connects with its stories at very profound levels of the human being, it becomes for both, creator and spectator, a window to see the light. The Dream of Lu is a vivid example of this process.

AWARDS
• Silver Biznaga for Best Latin American Actress (for Úrsula Pruneda) –
Málaga Spanish Film Festival, 2013
• Golden Goblet for Best Actress (for Úrsula Pruneda) – Shanghai International
Film Festival, 2012
• Special Jury Mention – Morelia International Film Festival, 2011




1 December 2013. Sunday. 19:20
THE CATHAY

BRAZIL Drama NC16
BICHO DE SETE CABECAS - BRAINSTORM

SYNOPSIS:
Neto is quite a normal teenager. He’s quiet, doesn’t seem to care about anything, and sometimes is tight-lipped with his mother, father and sister. He hangs out, drinks and smokes pot with his friends.

When his father finds a marijuana joint in his clothing, the family thinks he has a drug addiction and takes a drastic decision by sending him to a mental institution.

Neto’s nightmare begins when it becomes evident that he is in the
wrong place. The Institution’s staff is corrupt and, in order to keep
him docile, they give him drugs and shock therapy. He finds himself
trapped, surrounded by seemingly hostile inmates. He needs to adapt and find a way out of the sanatorium.

AWARDS
• Best Actor, Best First Work – Cartagena Film Festival, 2002
• Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay, Best
Editing, Best Music, Best Director – Cinema Brazil Grand Prize, 2002
• Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay – São Paulo Association of
Art Critics Awards, 2002
• Graine de Cinéphage Award – Créteil International Women’s Film Festival, 2002
• Golden Sun Award – Biarritz International Festival of Latin American Cinema, 2001
• Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Film, Best Supporting Actor –
Prêmio Qualidade, Brazil, 2001



Love! Love! Love!
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