MANILA, Philippines - Director Brillante Mendoza has lived up to his name for creating globally-acclaimed films. In 2009, after only four years since his directorial debut Masahista, he already bagged the Best Director award at Cannes Film Festival for Kinatay, beating Hollywood bigwig Quentin Tarantino and Oscar winner Ang Lee. A native of San Fernando, Pampanga, and a production designer for 20 years before venturing into filmmaking, he has indeed come a long way. And his success is also the triumph of the Philippines. Viva Communications, Inc. proudly gives home viewers a chance to own their original copies of Brillante’s must-see films, each one of them depicting social realism for which he is known for.
The latest video releases are Serbis, Tirador and Manoro. Described by San Francisco Chronicle as “a drama that pulsates with intensity and humanity,” Serbis shows the dirty secrets that happen in a movie house owned by a family — composed of Gina Pareño, Jaclyn Jose, Julio Diaz, and Coco Martin — struggling with their personal demons. It won Best Film, Best Cinematography and Best Director at the 2009 Urian Awards. Gina was named Best Actress at the 2008 Vladivostok Film Festival in Russia. Another Urian Best Film awardee is Tirador, a story about a group of people living in an old dilapidated tenement and who are all petty thieves. As they approach Holy Week and an upcoming national election, each has to go through the motions of committing crimes and suffering its consequences against a backdrop of politicians feverishly campaigning and promising a better life for them. It also won Best Film and Best Director at Netpac Awards, 2008 Singapore International Film Festival. Manoro, a story of a girl who dared to make a difference by teaching her fellow aetas to read and write in time for the national elections, won for Brillante another Best Director and Best Film awards from Cinemanila International Film Festival. It was also the winner of CinemAwenir Award at Torino International Film Festival in Italy in November 2006.
Early releases and still available in video stores are Masahista, Kaleldo and Siquijor. Masahista was the debut film that started Coco’s rise to fame. It gave him the Young Critics Circle Best Actor award in 2006 for playing the role of Iliac, who gives massages to gay men in Manila for a living.