ARTS FOR WOMEN, BY WOMEN AT THE CCP

TRUE to its mission of promoting gender equality, diversity and inclusion, the Cultural Center of the Philippines celebrates the Women’s Month the whole month of March with a series of art exhibits, film screenings and other events.  Everyone is invited to join the different activities.

Be inspired by the women playwrights and theater practitioners at the FESTIVAL OF PLAYS BY WOMEN, a three-day event where women share their stories of empowerment through theater, dramatic readings and talks, slated on March 6 to 8, 2020.  A flagship program of the CCP Gender and Development (GAD) Committee, in partnership with in partnership with Women Playwrights International-Philippines (WPIP), there will be a forum in the morning, Reading of Women’s Plays in the afternoon, and featured performances in the evening.

Meanwhile, the CCP Arthouse Cinema, a program under the Film, Broadcast and New Media Department, holds an IRANIAN WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL, focusing on the plight of Iranian women, on March 4 to 7, 2020.  All screenings will be at Tanghalang Manuel Conde.

The festival kicks off with “SEASON OF NARGES” by Negar Azarbayjani (2017) on March 4, 6pm.  The film centers on Gisoo, Aylar and Narges, three Iranian women whose life stories intertwined.  The dramatic film details the problem of the lack of organ donors in Iran.  Dedicated to a young Iranian actress who died early and donated her organs to the people who needed it, many of the supporting actors have undergone organ transplant after experiencing accidents.

Catch “FIVE STAR” by Mahshid Afsharzadeh (2014) on March 5, 5pm.  In the film, a shy, reserved woman named Maryam becomes a cleaner in an upscale hotel where her mother works in order to pay for her university’s tuition.  While working in this new environment, she soon realizes that every aspect of her work is rife with politics and hidden agendas.  The cleaners are desperate to keep their own jobs while management is unforgiving of even the smallest errors.  With no other option, Maryam must learn to adapt to this environment. But will her naivety lead her into trouble?

The cinematic fever continues with “LEILA” by Dariush Mehrjui (1997) on March 6, 5pm.  The film follows married couple Leila (played by Leila Hatami) and Reza (played by Ali Mosaffa) who find out that the wife is unable to conceive.  Initially, they ignore Reza's mother's (Jamileh Sheikhi) insistence that he must take a second wife who can bear children.  Determined to be a devoted Muslim spouse, Leila eventually becomes convinced that her mother-in-law is right and urges her husband to consider the idea.  Reza reluctantly agrees to begin interviewing prospective brides, and their marriage soon deteriorates.

The festival culminates with “PAINTING POOL” by Maziar Miri (2013) on March 7, 5pm.  It is the story of Maryam (Negar Javaherian) and Reza (Shahab Hosseini) who try to do their best in life but are often met with several obstacles due to being mentally challenged.  Their son Soheil was born without any defects and initially does not realize how his parents differ from other adults until he begins to grow older.  This leads to complications when his teachers request that his mother come to school for a parent-teacher conference, as Soheil is afraid that his parents will humiliate him.  As a result, Soheil spends more and more time with Amirali, his teacher's son, and eventually moves in with them after his father loses his job.

Iranian Women's Film Festival also features an exhibit, titled “Women In Iran,” followed by a talk on photo exhibit by Sahar Hassanzadeh.  The photo exhibit opens on March 4, at 4pm.

The CCP Main Gallery presents a major retrospective exhibition, titled “ALLEGORIES AND REALITIES Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi: In Retrospect,” exploring the thematic contexts and modes of art practice that woman artist Ofelia Gelvezon-Tequi has pursued for more than five decades.  The exhibit runs until May 24, 2020.  Likewise, the said exhibit will have guided tours on Thursdays (March 12 and 26 at 2pm) and Saturdays (March 7, 14, 28 at 2pm) at the Bulwagang Juan Luna (Main Gallery).

In line with this, the Visual Arts Department will hold a Roundtable Discussion of Women Printmakers on March 4, 3pm, at the Bulwagang Juan Luna (CCP Main Gallery).  Featured artists are: Ambie Abano, Ivi Avellana-Cosio, Yas Doctor, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Ofelia Gelvenzon-Tequi, and Henrielle Pagkaliwangan.

There will also be a crystal-making workshop, to be conducted by artist Samantha Feleo on March 21, 3pm, at the MKP Hall.  Feleo has a solo exhibit, titled “The Horizon of Expectations,” at the Bulwagang Victorio Edades (Small Gallery), on display until March 22, 2020.

Ongoing until March 15 is the exhibit TERNOCON 2020 PORTRAITURE AND THE PHILIPPINE TERNO: Commissioned Paintings of Filipinas by Rafael del Casal shown at the Pasilyo Vicente Manansala (2F Hallway Gallery).

More than just an art institution, the CCP has been creating and facilitating platforms that pursue gender and development, diversity and inclusion. Through its CCP Gender and Development (GAD) Committee, the center follows the implementation of gender mainstreaming advocated by the Philippine government.  It is concerned with women as well as with the social construction of gender and the assignment of specific roles, responsibilities and expectations to women and men.