FREE: PINOY FILM CLASSICS AT RIZAL PARK DEC. 26-30

A rare collection of Filipino film classics will be shown to the public free in a nightly festival of great Pinoy movies at the open-air auditorium of the Rizal Park from Dec. 26 to 30.

The film showing is part of the country’s Pistang Milenyo Filipino celebrations to welcome the year 2000.

The event is being spearheaded by the Committee on the Turn-of-the-Century Celebrations (CTCC), chaired by Secretary Gemma Cruz Araneta of the Department of Tourism (DOT), in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Bulwagang Gantimpala.

The activity, dubbed "Teatro at Pelikula" is one of the highlights of the Milenyo Filipino Festival, a program which seeks to transform the Rizal Park into a Philippine theme park showcasing the country’s advances in agriculture, technology and culture in the week preceding the new century.

Araneta said the Teatro at Pelikula aims to foster appreciation and pride on Filipino cinematic achievements. "It will be open to the general public for free," she said.

Among the quality local films scheduled to be shown are: Biyaya ng Lupa (Dec. 26), a film directed by Manuel Silos which won the FAMAS award for best picture in 1959 and gained international fame at the Asian film Festival in 1960.

Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (Dec. 27), a 1975 film directed by Lino Brocka, which won six FAMAS awards for best picture, director, actor, actress, music and theme song,

Magic Temple (Dec. 28), by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes, which won the grand prize during the 1996 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Himala (Dec. 29), a 1982 film directed by Ishmael Bernal which won the awards for best picture, director, story and cinematography in the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Rizal the Movie (Dec. 30), by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, which nearly won the grand slam among all Philippine film award-giving bodies in 1998 and continues to win acclaim for the Philippines abroad.

Audiences will be treated with the screening of short films (15 minute) prior to the showing of the full-length movies.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte said he and his family will join the rest of the Filipino nation in welcoming the new millennium at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

The President invited the public to join the First Family at the Luneta, and to pray that the year 2020 will bring with it the blessings to push the country forward.