Posts Tagged ‘Brisbane Film Festival’
Filipino director Brillante Mendoza poses after receiving the Best Director award for his movie "Kinatay", during the photocall of the Closing Ceremony of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2009 in Cannes, southern France. (Photo by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)
“…..and the 2009 Cannes Film Festival Best Director goes to…Brillante Mendoza of the Philippines…” the astounding sound of applause in the auditorium has caused his numbness.
The first Filipino ever to win the award for his entry “Kinatay” (The Execution of P.) was able to beat renowned filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Bastards) and Ang Lee (Taking Woodstock) under the same category.
A Fine Arts Graduate Major in Advertising at the University of Sto. Tomas, Brillante Mendoza started as a production designer in feature films, television, theatre, and eventually in television advertising.
Filipino director Brillante Mendoza poses next to US director Terry Gilliam after winning the Best Director award for his movie "Kinatay" during the Closing Ceremony of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2009 in Cannes, southern France. (Photo by FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images)
His production design work was featured in higly acclaimed local flicks such as “Takaw Tukso” (Flirting with Temptation, 1986), “Private Show” (1986), “Olongapo, The Great american Dream”(1987), and many others. In 2005, he formed an independent production outfit called Centerstage Production (CSP), consisting of independent filmmakers, who have brought honors to the country via feature films which have won several awards and recognition in prestigious film festival hera and abroad.
Armed with honed craft and determination, he (Brillante) directed his first feature film “Masahista” (The Masseur) in 2005. His local recognition was made when the film won a Golden Leopard Award (co-winner) in the Video Section at the 2005 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, as well as the Interfaith Award in 2006 Brisbane Film Festival, and the Audience Award in Turin.
Mendoza’s subsequent films won further major international awards: “Manoro” (The Aeta Teacher, 2006) won the CinemAvvenir at the Torino Film Festival in 2006 and Best Picture and Director Awards at the Cinemanila 2006; “Kaleldo” (Summer Heat) won the Neptac Award in Jeonju 2007 and the Best Actress Award in Durban 2007; “Foster Child” won the Best Actress Award in New Delhi 2007, special jury award in Kazakhstan 2007, the Signis Award in Las Palmas 2008, Best Picture and Best Actress Award in Durban 2008; “Tirador” (Slingshot), won the special jury award in Marrakech in 2007, Caligari awards in Berlin Film Festival 2008. It was also given the Best Film Director and Neptac awards in the 2008 Singapore International film Festival; “Serbis” (Service) is a co-production of the Philippines and Frances Swift Production. It has won script funding from the Asian Cinema Fund of the 2007 Pusan International Film Festival, and participated in the 2008 HongKong Asian Film financing Forum (HAF), “Serbis” was also in the main competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival becoming the first Filipino film to compete since 1984. It has won Best Director and Actress Awards in the 2008 Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Vladivostok, Russia and Golden Kinnaree Awards in the Southeast competition of the 2008 Bangkok Film Festival.
“Kinatay” tells the grimly fate of a kidnap-rape victim (played by Ma. Isabel Lopez) who is beaten up before she is murdered and hacked to pieces.
Twenty films competed for the highest honor of Cannes, the Palme d’or (Golden Palm Award) which went to Austrian Director Michael Haneke for “Das Weisse Band” (The White Ribbon) while the Grand Prix award was given to French filmmaker Jacques Audiard for “Un Prophete” (A Prophet).
Quentin Tarantino had only one thing to say for Mendoza,”He is extraordinary”.
With Mendoza’s numerous achievements he opted not to do commercial films. For him, doing film is an expression of his soul. He is also firm in his decision not to exhibit his movies in commercial theaters,for worries of passing through the sharp scissors of the MTRCB, and would end up his masterpieces as “Kinatay”. (Story by Rey Pineda/Photos courtesy of B. Mendoza)
2009 Cannes Film Festival
From left, Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, Filipino actors Mercedes Cabral, Coco Martin, Maria Isabel Lopez, and producers Ferdinand Lapuz and Didier Costet arrive on the red carpet for the screening of the film 'Kinatay' at the 62nd International film festival in Cannes, southern France, Sunday, May 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
2009 Cannes Film Festival
