tMF | The Movie-Fanatic

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that.

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When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above made movies far better than Mendoza's Kinatay...

Philippine Cinema's Golden Age: Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal are both dead. They are responsible for making some of the most important films in the Philippines, the same kind of acclaim is bestowed on Mike de Leon.

Brocka's masterpieces include Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (nominated for the Palm d'Or) Insiang (the first film from the Philippines to be shown at Cannes), Maynila: sa Kuko ng Liwanag (listed as one of the best films by British film critic Derek Malcolm - see direct reference.) and Jaguar (also nominated for the Palm d'Or)

Bernal, on the other hand, made Himala (nominated for Golden Bear in Berlin and last year recipient of CNN Asia Pacific Screen Awards Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time.), Hinugot sa Langit, City After Dark, and Nunal sa Tubig.

Mike de Leon did Batch 81, Kisapmata (both films were presented during the Directors' Fortnight at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival.) Sister Stella L (in competition at 1985 Venice Film Festival), and Itim.

More of the films of Brocka, Bernal and de Leon in Part 2..

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The Present: Brilliante Mendoza's Kinatay - This is not the first time for Mendoza and his films to be shown at Cannes and to have won international acclaim. His previous movies - Masahista (The Masseur), won the Golden Leopard at Locarno, Serbis (Service) gave Mendoza his first Golden Palm nomination), while Tirador (Slingshot) won the Caligari Film award at 2008 Berlin Film Festival.

Mendoza's movies portray the current difficulties in the Philippines, especially how ordinary Filipinos struggle to live. A good number of the scenes depicting these struggles can be violent and disturbing, some of which can be very explicit.

In his review of Tirador, Lilok Pelikula's Richard Bolisay wrote:

In Tirador, violence is not criminal; it is a way of life. The amoral lives of the marginalized members of its community are reflective of the constant degeneration of Filipino urban culture that once became a paragon of modernity but now drowns itself in the abyss of nomadic living. The ubiquitous faces of shameless politicians that the film subtly shows add to the bewilderment and self-pity that any local moviegoer would feel upon realizing the extent of what these characters would need to go through to support themselves and their families. [ read more ]

Tirador's trailer:

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Unlike Lino Brocka who was in constant hiding from the government of strongman Ferdinand Marcos when he made his films, Mendoza was able to make his without the kind of pressure, intimidation and censorship which Brocka endured during the Marcos dictatorship. Although the same kind of mentality, with regards to censorship, remained intact in the Philippines.

Censorship and the current commercialized movie industry would play a big part in limiting the opportunities for Mendoza's films to be shown to the Filipino movie-going public. The same applies to independent Filipino filmmakers who need to get criticial acclaim from the world stage before they get any kind of recognition locally.

Bolisay, who also wrote a detailed review of Kinatay, made mention of Brocka and Mendoza:

I am appalled, however, by how Mendoza treats the subject of politics outside his film. In the Q&A he mentioned that he is just a filmmaker, and as much as possible he wants to distance himself away from the political issues that his films are dealing with. If his films have political significance then it is up to the people to interpret them or make some sense out of them. But how could that be? How could you make political films and not live up to what they are saying? How could the films be radical and its creator a wimp? I know it's itching its way out of your head so I might as well give my two pence worth on the subject of Brocka and Mendoza. Bear in mind I am forced. Brocka should be admired and championed in context. He should not be carelessly and irresponsibly brought up whenever a realist filmmaker starts making films on the same vein, or even just political films for that matter. Brocka not only directed Bayan Ko : Kapit Sa Patalim and Orapronobis; he also filmed Tubog sa Ginto, Tinimbang Ka Nguni't Kulang, Insiang, Bona, and many others that are more driven by his force and brilliance as a political observer than as a political activist. It is annoying when comparisons come up, not only with Mendoza but also with Jeffrey Jeturian or any other directors who have gained prominence through their so-called poverty films, because it undermines Brocka's greatness - - for his legacy should not stand as a mere litmus test to qualify the filmmakers that come after him. It is ruthlessly unfair to both parties but more especially to Brocka because he is being boxed into a solely political filmmaker which he isn't. His films show many faces of politics, and not just the one that drives people into streets to protest. Brocka is not the tribunal; let go of him. He and Mendoza are different, and they have lived in different times and circumstances, and we should consider their merits in proper perspective. [ read more ]

Lino Brocka did not only made films which were politically and socially relevant during the 1980s (which also applies today), he actually participated in political rallies and demonstrations during those dangerous times in the Philippines. I can certainly see why Bolisay made the above remarks.

Comparison between filmmakers are a given, whether they are valid and relevant remain to be seen.

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More on Mendoza's Kinatay:

About the Movie: A young man tries to make some money so he can marry his girlfriend. He takes a job for $2,000 and then soon realizes that this job involves killing a woman.

Roger Ebert's review of the film:

This is an Idea. An idée fixe, as the French so usefully put it. As Pierre Henri Castel observes, Au sens banal, idée fixe est l'équivalent d'obsession. Poor Mendoza knows that his strategy is alienating, his scenes unpleasant and painful, his audience recoiling. That is the Idea. You tell me why. Oh, someone will. You mark my words. There will be critics who fancy themselves theoreticians, who will defend this unbearable experience, and lecture those plebians like me who missed the whole Idea. I will remain serene while my ignorance is excoriated. I am a human being with relatively reasonable tastes. And in that role, not in the role of film critic, I declare that there may not be ten people in the world who will buy a ticket to this movie and feel the money was well spent. But there is no reasoning with a man with a an idée fixe. He knows with a deep certainty that he is right. He will demonstrate that to us. He is an auteur. Surely we will recognize his inspiration, and applaud his bravery. He has filled his own bucket with wet cement, and stepped into it. For a time he could wriggle his toes. But now the cement has set, and he is frozen in place with the results of his decision. He will sink or swim. I've seen several other films here already, but "Kinatay" seized my attention. I was talking the other day with Thierry Fremaux, the director of the festival, and I mentioned that he has many big names among the directors of this year's Official Selections. "Yes," he said, "but not every great director makes only great films. And we cannot show only great films, although every film is one we believe deserves to be seen." Fremaux knows his films, his festival, his audience. His taste is exceptional. He was not, of course, referring to any particular films or directors. I quote him because some of my film critic colleagues, staggering out into the light after "Kinatay," were banging their palms against their foreheads and crying out, "what got into them when they programed this film?" To them I say, Now, now. They can't only show great films. [ read more ]

A response from one of his readers, which I presume is a Filipino:

The disturbing thing about this film actually, is, it seemed so real, and we just watched, and watched, without becoming angry, or reversing the heinous act, and use Peping's gun to stop it. Yes, he had a gun. It's a gift. It's a bribe and an offering of power. Are we also looking for more, the way the beastly cops wanted more? Are we also unleashing the darkest side of our personas, we actually wanted to see it happen? Only violence can stop this violent act. But we choose to simply witness it happen, sitting down. Like Peping, we were not prepared to see this.Therefore, we can't move, and got no choice but to complete the ride. That's how thrilling however assaulting this experience was. [ author's blog ]

I'll end Part 1, with another quote from Richard Bolisay:

Though seemingly too obvious to mention, it is important to point out that the Cannes Film Festival jury gave recognition not to the film Kinatay, but to its director Brillante Mendoza. Like awards given to actors and technicians such as cinematographers and editors, the Best Director prize is specifically bestowed based on the director's contribution to the film, and does not necessarily signify that the film as a whole is as equally exceptional as its direction. [ read more ]

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What's on your mind? Have you seen any of the movies made by Filipino director Brilliante Mendoza? How about the films of Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal or Mike de Leon? Let us know what you think!
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