Brillante Mendoza Comes Home with a Film Festival

SM CITY PAMPANGA STAGES BRILLANTE MENDOZA FILM FESTIVAL
Pampanga is home of the best artists in the country. It has a long artistic tradition – from comic strip creator/writer turned director and producer Carlo J. Caparas and modern Filipino painter and printmaker Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, who have their roots in Pampanga, to the first Filipino to win the Cannes International Film Festival for Best Director Brillante Mendoza.

His films are alive and well today through a small independent production outfit called Centerstage Productions. CSP is a group of independent filmmakers who have brought honors to the country via feature films that won several awards and recognition in prestigious film festival here and abroad.

As SM City Pampanga culminates its 10th Anniversary celebration, it honors its homegrown film artist Brillante Mendoza through a film festival of his four multi-awarded films on December 6 & 7 at Cinema 6.

His subsequent films won further major international awards. MANORO (The Aeta Teacher, 2006) won the CinemAvvenir at the Torino Film Festival 2006 and Best Picture and Director Awards at the Cinemanila 2006. KALELDO (Summer Heat) won the Netpac Award in Jeonju 2007 and the Best Actress Awards in Durban 2007. FOSTER CHILD won the Best Actress award in New Delhi in 2007, Special Jury Award in Kazakhstan 2007, the Signis Award in Las Palmas 2008, Best Picture and Actress Awards in Durban 2008. LOLA won the Grand Knight Award equivalent to the Grand Jury Prize in the world competition category of the 27th Miami International Film Festival in the US.

Well-attended by schools in the province namely Dominican School of Mexico, ICT High School in Sindalan and one of the biggest school in the province, Pampanga High School, where former president Diosdado P. Macapagal was among its graduates. An interactive Q&A after every film was done wherein the students actively participated and asked from the simplest to the complex questions to the director who happily answered all their queries.

A photo opportunity where the students willingly posed with Brillante Mendoza as he “directs” them on how to pose on the wall to make an illusion of being part of the film.

After the film showing of the students, an after-party took place at the lobby where important guests like Board Members Monz Laus and Trina Dizon graced the event. Also present are Malou Garbes, member of IMAarti group; Tonette Orejas, correspondent of Philippine Daily Inquirer; Rem Prin, President of Art Association of the Philippines Angeles Chapter; and Lana Erroba, Mall Manager of SM City Pamapnga who each read the synopsis of the four films showcased on the event. Leading the ribbon cutting is SM's Vice President for Marketing Communications Group and Publicity, Millie F. Dizon who have put together the prestigious event.