Brillante Mendoza, the first Filipino win the best director award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, is to be conferred the title Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres tonight at the French ambassador’s residence in Makati. Coconuts Manila catches up with the 53-year-old award-winning auteur behind the Cannes Film Festival-winning film Kinatay to talk about Vice Ganda, government’s role in propping up local cinema, and the future of independent movies in the Philippines.
What was the last Filipino film you fell in love with?
Riddles of My Homecoming by Arnel Mardoduio. It has a powerful cinematic vision, experimentation in storytelling, and the narrative is not typical in that it allows the audience to think.
Do you watch Vice Ganda movies?
I wish I could, but my schedule would not permit me. I am intrigued by the mass appeal of his films. I also want to find out what makes his films attractive to the moviegoers.
Better Filipino movies are being made, why aren’t they being shown locally?
Because of lack of promotion via the television, albeit awareness of them do reach the general movie-going public. Promotion through television entails a lot of money from the producers.
Can one survive on making films alone?
Not in the Philippines. One has to have an alternative source of income in order to survive. Producing films require some amount of money. This does not include marketing and promotions.
Are Filipinos ready to watch the new independent films getting made here and now?
Not yet. The audience needs more exposure to these films. It is an acquired taste. We need to educate the audience to appreciate them.
Is government a factor in developing film culture in the Philippines?
Definitely. The government is a major stakeholder in the preservation and promotion of our films, which is part of our cultural heritage. The government should spearhead together with big production outfits in the advancement of the film industry. Considering the resources and the network that our government has, it is a key player in the film industry.
Do you think free screenings are a good way to reach new Pinoy audiences of the new Pinoy cinema?
Initially, yes. But not as a regular practice. Producing a film is both an art and business. For any form of art to thrive, it has to earn to maintain its existence.
What bodes well for Philippine cinema?
There is so much in store for the Philippine cinema. With the proliferation of independent films, it gave a shot in the arm to the ailing industry. But there is so much to be done. The film industry must be able to balance both the existence of commercial (mainstream) films and the alternative (independent) films. An 80-20 percent audience share in favour of the mainstream cinema is fine by me. Provided that the 20% of the alternative cinema audience would be steadily and regularly maintained. Also, a venue for the alternative cinema must be created.
What ails Philippine cinema?
Unfortunately, we have not fully developed and conserved our film culture. There were beautiful films that have been produced by our brilliant filmmakers, but they were not preserved for the younger generations to appreciate. Our consciousness of films is based on Hollywood [and that] adulterates our cultural sensibilities. Maybe this explains the deterioration of the films being produced now. Not to mention the lack of support from other stakeholders.
Lino Brocka or Ishmael Bernal?
I consider them both as geniuses. But I have personal preference for Mr. Lino Brocka because we share the same advocacy in promoting issues that affect our society. I also admire him for his ability to inculcate societal problems in his films that appeal even to the mainstream audience.
