BRILLANTE MENDOZA WINS BIG AT CANNES

Director Brillante Mendoza (second from right)

Cannes--- Brillante Mendoza of the Philippines on Sunday picked up the best director prize at the Cannes film festival for his dark movie "Kinatay". "Kinatay" (Butchered) tells of corrupt cops hacking a prostitute to pieces with blunt kitchen knives. Mendoza, at Cannes for the second year running, again split the critics, drawing both hisses and applause for "Kinatay". Last year's "Serbis" was set in a Manila porn-theatre with long close-ups of festering boils and overflowing toilets, as well as the poverty and distress on the streets.

A scene from 'Kinatay'

Still determined to portray the social reality around him, Mendoza in "Kinatay" traces 24 hours in the day of a trainee policeman, happily beginning with his wedding in the morning to close with the young man's first outing at night with a band of corrupt colleagues. To his surprise, fear and anguish, they pick up a prostitute accused of betrayal and wind up torturing, raping, killing and hacking her before disposing of the body parts across Manila. " This is not just entertainment, these kinds of stories are real," Mendoza said at Cannes. Last year was the first time since 1984 the Philippines had a film competing for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d'Or. (Agence France-Presse/ May 25, 2009)

Mendoza's Acceptance Speech: "First of all I would like to thank the selection committee, who are responsible for bringing my films here for the past three years. And now with an award for Best Director, I would like to thank the Jury. And of course I’d like to thank my producer; thank you for the trust and faith in my films. I’d like to thank also a very committed staff and crew. I’d like to share this award with my daughter, Angelica, who has always been my number one critic and to an actor I really respect, Coco Martin. Thank you all for embracing my kind of cinema."

Last year, Mendoza made the country proud because his film “Serbis” (Service) was selected as one of the finalists competing for the prestigious Palme d’Or. The first and only time a Filipino director had a film including in the competition category of the Cannes Filmfest was in 1984, when Lino Brocka's opus “Orapronobis” was accepted.

Serbis (2008)/ Stars Gina Pareno, Coco Martin, Jacklyn Jose, Julio Diaz, Dan Alvaro, Kristoffer King/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza--- The Pineda family operates and lives in a run-down movie house which shows dated sexy double-feature films. As the rest of the members go about their daily activities, we get a glimpse of how they suffer and deal with each others sins and vices. Preoccupied with their personal demons, the family is unmindful that inside the movie theater, another kind of business is going on between hustlers and patrons. (internet source)

Tirador (2007)- Stars Coco Martin, Jiro Manio, Kristoffer King, Nathan Lopez, Harold Montano and Jacklyn Jose & Julio Diaz/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza/ Winner of Gawad Urian Best Picture and Best Director--- The movie is about the intertwined lives of Caloy, Leo, Rex and Odie. All of them live in the depressed slum area of Quiapo, Manila. The film takes place during Holy Week amidst the 2007 elections. It represents Manila as swarming with criminals -- snatchers, pickpockets, drug pushers, shoplifters and the like. However, these petty criminals are portrayed as nothing compared to the corrupt, hypocritical politicians who make false promises, exploit poverty and call on God for help.(Wikipilipinas)

Foster Child (2007)- Stars Cherry Pie Picache (Gawad Urian Best Actress), Eugene Domingo, Jiro Manio, Kier Segundo, Dan Alvaro, Alwyn Uytingco/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza

Left- Pantasya (2007)- Stars Arthur Estrella, Roy Roxas, Mark Dionisio, Harold Montano, Kiko Montenegro, Kervin Castillo, Dexter Castro, Brent Lorenzo, Nicco Taberna, Kyle Zenorio Justin de Leon/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza

Right- Kaleldo (2006)- Stars Johnny Delgado, Cherry Pie Picache, Angel Aquino, Juliana Palermo, Allan Paule, Criselda Volks, Lauren Novero/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza

Left- Manoro (The Teacher)/ 2006- Stars Jonalyn Ablong/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza

Right- Masahista (The Masseur)/ 2005- Stars Coco Martin, Jacklyn Jose, Alla Paule, Katherine Luna, Paolo Rivero, Kristoffer King/ Directed by Brillante Mendoza