A Filipino Makes Waves In Cannes

This year's Cannes Film Festival, it seems was a strange one, with many big guns falling by the wayside. I will write about it in my next posting, but what I was amazed is that out of the blue, the Best Director award went to a Filipino independent filmmaker Brilliante Mendoza . He bagged the best director award for the film “Kinatay”.

Mendoza’s victory was a vindication for the Filipino film director after Chicago-Sun Times critic Roger Ebert called “Kinatay” the “worst film in the history of Cannes.”

An obviously surprised Mendoza became the only Filipino to bring home an award in this year’s Cannes.

Another Filipino actor Piolo Pascual was nominated for Best Actor in the prestigious international film festival for his performance in the movie “Manila.”

Below is the complete list of winners from the Associated Press:

• Palme d’Or (Golden Palm): “The White Ribbon,” by Michael Haneke (Austria)
• Grand Prize: “A Prophet,” by Jacques Audiard (France)
• Jury Prize: “Fish Tank,” by Andrea Arnold (Britain) and “Thirst,” By Park Chan-wook (South Korea)
• Special Prize: Alain Resnais
• Best Director: Brillante Mendoza, “Kinatay” (The Philippines)
• Best Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds” (United States)
• Best Actress: Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Antichrist” (Denmark)
• Best Screenplay: Feng Mei, “Spring Fever” (China)
• Camera d’Or (first-time director): “Samson and Delilah,” by Warwick Thornton (Australia)
• Best short film: “Arena,” by Joao Salaviza (Portugal)

As you can see, three Asians were feted this time, a South Korean, a Chinese and a Filipino. Of course, there were no Malaysians lah. With the kind of movies we make, you expect us to win anything? Hah!

There's also an interesting movie that made Cannes...if I am not mistaken, the movie which also stars perennial Cannes favourite Christine Hakim, is entitled "Merantau" and for the first time promotes silat as the next cinematic martial art of choice.

Wouldn't it be nice if a Malaysia is feted with something at Cannes within the next five years.