GOVPH

PH Products Featured at the Maison & Objet and More Lifestyle Tradeshow in Paris

^{23 March 2022, Paris: Left Photo: Philippine-made products at the Maison et Objet Show in Paris.  Right Photo: Minister and Consul Christina Rola McKernan visits the Philippine display at the Maison et Objet Show.}

The three featured Philippine-made home furnishings and design items were created using local materials such as abaca, reflecting the Filipino’s original craftsmanship.  In line with this year’s theme of “New Luxury,” the featured items on exhibit are the ZZ Runner by Weavemanila, the Macaroni Chandelier by LIJA by That One Piece, and Rattan and Abaca Partition by Shelmed Cottage Treasures.

The ZZ Runner is a collaboration between designers Rita Nazareno and Gabby Lichauco of Nazareno/Lichauco and the community-based weaving company Weavemanila.  The team introduced unusual shapes and vibrant colors in their latest collection, along with the use of sustainable materials. 

24 March 2022, Paris: Left Photo: Macaroni Chandelier by LIJA by That One Piece. Right Photo:  Rattan and Abaca Partition by Shelmed Cottage Treasures.

Inspired by the noodle and the slinky toy, the Macaroni Chandelier is a pendant light that is designed to fit both grand living and bubble living.  It is a contemporary product borne out of the collaboration between furniture brand LIJA by That One Piece and product designer Rachelle Dagñalan, who both have a knack for using natural materials such as clay, stone and woven fibers. 

A tangible expression of the Abaca’s malleability and diversity in weaving, the Rattan and Abaca Partition was created through a fusion of two cultures.  Designed and created by the Philippines’ Shelmed Cottage Treasures and Taiwan’s Kai Ping Liu and Ya Ching Lee of Essence Design & Craft, who were brought together through a design exchange program, the partition was intended as a stand-alone or combinable piece that would suit different spaces.

According to Caroline Biros, Marketing and Communications Director of Maison & Objet and More (MOM), “At the MOM Paris fair, we always set up dedicated, inspirational spaces and select—with the help of trends experts—the remarkable novelties, the colors, the shapes or the materials which are in line with upcoming trends.”  She also shared the traditional weaving techniques of ethnic crafts or sustainable fabrics made of plant leaves have been mastered by Filipino manufacturers.

Maison et Objet is a trade show held twice a year that showcases a wide range of style offerings for decoration, design and lifestyle products.  It currently runs at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre from 24 March to 28 March 2022.  For more information on the show and the Philippine products on exhibit, please visit these websites:

ZZ Rug from Weavemanila: https://mom.maison-objet.com/en/brand/13643/weavemanila/products

Macaroni Lamp : https://mom.maison-objet.com/en/product/114705/lija-by-that-one-piece-macaroni-chandelier

Shelmed Rattan and Abaca Partition: https://mom.maison-objet.com/en/product/31381/shelmed-rattan-abaca-partition

Maison et Objet: maison-objet.com 

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^[1] Source: Design: Filipino products capture international tastemaker’s attention in Parisian fair, Adobo Magazine.    

Filipino Director bags Cannes Residence Program

24 March 2022, Paris – Award-winning director, Arvin “Kadiboy” Belarmino, called on Philippine Ambassador to France Her Excellency Junever M. Mahilum-West on 21 March 2022 at the Embassy.

Director Belarmino bested filmmakers from all over the world when his feature film project “RIA” was chosen for the Festival de Cannes Cinéfondation’s 44th Residence Program.  Belarmino was one of only six finalists in the said program.

For over four months, laureates will be guided through the development of their script until the film’s production.  The Residence will also include meetings with industry professionals and participation in the Filmmakers Academy in Locarno in August.

“We are proud of your achievement and assure you of the Embassy’s full support” Ambassador Mahilum-West told the Director in an interview with ABS-CBN and PTV4 following Belarmino’s call.

Director Belarmino is best known for his films “Nakaw” (2016), and “Kyel” (2015). In 2020, his short film “Tarang (Life’s Pedal)” was awarded the Berlin Brandenburg Short Award for Best film at the 36th Interfilm Berlin Short Film Festival.

More information on The Residence, may be found here official website: https://www.cinefondation.com/en/,https://www.cinefondation.com/en/residence/session. END

Philippine Embassy in Paris organizes "Juana Be-Well" Art Workshop In celebration of National Women’s Month

^{Paris PE officers and staff shows their artworks after the Juana BE-Well Workshop}

19 March 2022, Paris, France – The Philippine Embassy in Paris organized the Juana BE-Well, a basic painting workshop and GAD-responsive wellness programme for the Embassy employees, as part of its activities for the 2022 National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC).

H.E. Junever M. Mahilum-West, in her remarks, recognized how “the demands of Foreign Service work can negatively impact our holistic well-being, especially our physical and mental health, especially in this time of the pandemic.” Juana BE-Well provided wellness intervention to the Embassy employees, who are mostly women, by delving into their artistic side.

^{H.E. Junever M. Mahilum-West (middle) and Deputy Chief of Mission Aileen Mendiola-Rau presents token of appreciation to Ms. Marie Expert (left)}

The Embassy invited Marie Expert, a Paris-based Filipina painter, as a resource speaker who shared her expertise on painting. Ms. Expert explores two-dimensional work by remaking classical painting such as the renaissance period and landscapes. Ms. Expert’s work also tackles feminism by painting the existential beauty of the woman’s figure. Besides having a gallery in Paris, she also teaches painting to expatriate women and children who want to learn how to paint.

“BE well” is a wellness program program of the Embassy for its employees which was launched in 2020 with its pilot session “Be Well Groomed and Stylish”. BE is actually an abbreviation of the French word “bien-être” or wellness. When read as “Be Well”, it expresses the general desire of the Embassy’s management and personnel for employees to be in a positive state of well-being. For more information, visit the Embassy’s website and Facebook page.

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