Movies + Events: Brillante Mendoza Film Festival at SM City Masinag

It's a great time for local indie cinema indeed! With social media bringing back "Heneral Luna" after it was taken out of theaters. To memes on films like "Honor Thy Father" and recently that 'fishball scene' from "Ma. Rosa" all over Facebook. As well as groups like Revenge.PH and Cinema '76 holding indie film screenings, the future looks bright for our local cinema. 

I'm overwhelmed that SM City has also given the rare opportunity for its patrons to view the internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Mendoza's award winning film and to meet the filmmaker up close during the Brillante Mendoza Film Festival at SM City Masinag. 

The festival showcased Director Mendoza's 2015 internationally acclaimed film- "Taklub" which won the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Ecumencial Jury Prize Special Mention. The festival had students as its primary audience, and I'm happy to say that my nephew was among the participants. Looking forward to discussing the film with him (I know I'm such a geek). Hopefully exposing High School students to award winning films will inspire them and who knows may even influence a new generation of film enthusiasts. 

Taklub is the story of three characters, including Bebeth played by Nora Aunor, coping and surviving the aftermath of the horrendous Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). It is co-produced with the Department of Environmental and National Resources (DENR). 

Another highlight of the festival is the Film Appreciation Workshop after the Taklub screening. In the hour long workshop, the audience got a glimpse of the different elements -acting, directing, cinematography, script writing that went into this magnificent film as discussed by no less than Director Brillante Mendoza himself. The aim of the activity is to guide the audience in understanding and appreciating the film Taklub as a medium of art and communications. 

A launch was attended by prominent members of the local community from government officials, school officials and students, as well as film enthusiasts. This was held a day before the festival. During the program, SM City Masinag paid tribute to Director Mendoza for the many honors he has brought to the country and members of the media were also given the chance to interview him. 

A post work me, sans make-up geeking out with the man of the hour- Direk Brillante Mendoza himself. :)