Director Lav Diaz bagged the grand prize in the World Premieres Film Festival for his work on the film "Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon."
Jurors from the Film Development Council of the Philippines selected his film from among European, Middle Eastern, South American and Asian films featured.
The film, depicting the darkest period in Philippine history, also won best ensemble performance.
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| Sadly, Lav Diaz wasn't around during the premiere night of his movie, but Directors of Films in competition were around to promote their works. |
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| With Director Rica Arevalo |
From www.fdcp.ph
Lav Diaz and Cast & Crew given Victory Lunch for Locarno Win!
At the victory lunch (L to R): FDCP Executive Director Teodoro Granados, Liryc Paolo Dela Cruz, FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos, director Lav Diaz, Hazel Orencio, Dea Formacil-chua, Che Villanueva, Perry Dizon, and FDCP Executive Director Jose Miguel de la Rosa
Fresh off their win of the grand prize Pardo d’oro (Golden Leopard) at the recently concluded 67th Locarno International Film Festival, Lav Diaz’s “Mula sa Kung ano Ang Noon” is set to have a “Handog sa Bansa” special screening on September 21, 2014 at the SM Mall of Asia Centerstage Theater. It will coincide with the theatrical run of seven continuous days that befits the film that bagged the singular highest honor ever accorded to Philippine cinema.
Director Diaz with the cast and crew were recently hosted by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), co-producers of the film, for a celebratory victory lunch. Held at the FDCP offices last Wednesday (August 27), the self-proclaimed, “Lav Team” was warmly received by Chairman Briccio Santos and the rest of the FDCP staff. The afternoon included lunch and then a quick round of interviews conducted by the FDCP media team.
The “Lav Team” present at the lunch, included: Perry Dizon (production designer, actor), Hazel Orencio (actress, assistant director, subtitling), Liryc Paolo Dela Cruz (production manager, art director, actor), Karenina Haniel (actress), Dea Formacil-chua (actress), and Che Villanueva (sound, gaffer, focus puller, editor).
The IFFS' Don Quixote prize and the Pardo d'oro (Golden Leopard)
Awards brought to the office included the Pardo d’oro (Golden Leopard), the highest honor bestowed by the Locarno International Film Festival, and the IFFS’ Don Quixote Prize, an award given by the International Federation of Film Societies (IFFS) at selected festivals. At the festival, the film also won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize, the Environment is Quality of Life Prize, handed out by Locarno Festival Youth Jury, and the Boccalino de Oro Independent Critics Award for Best Actress for Hazel Orencio.
When asked about how he feels having won the award, Lav Diaz expressed, “it is just normal. The award is a consequence of the work. The work is more important. [However] it’s good for us Filipinos… for the Filipino pride,” and then touched on the increase of international recognition for Philippine cinema saying, “it’s good for Philippine cinema as a whole, not just the industry. From the commercial domain to the aesthetic domain, we’re okay, it helps. It pushes our cinema.”
Lav Diaz poses with the World Premieres Film Festival Philippines "Grand Festival Prize"
and the Locarno International Film Festival Pardo d'oro (Golden Leopard)
On his responsibility as a director, or specifically to Philippine cinema, Diaz said that, “my only responsibility is to make good films. I only want to do good works just for our culture, that’s all. With all due respect, I don’t follow the convention because I want to push this art to a greater level too. Cinema is wide; it’s a very young art, just a hundred years old. There’s a lot we could do. The horizon is so vast […] so it’s important that we push cinema to greater heights.”
As for Filipino filmgoers, “hopefully they watch the film, because it talks about, tells about what happened in the last two years before martial law. It’s based on real events. The characters are based on real characters in our village when I was in grade six up to first year high school. I reenacted everything from memory. But it’s about the coming, it’s a foreboding thing, it’s a horror film actually. We’re entering hell and we felt that then.”
Perry Dizon and Liryc Dela Cruz pose with the
WPFF Grand Festival Prize and the Pardo d'oro (Golden Leopard)
The few members of the cast who had been able to go to Locarno were excited to recall the event. Perry Dizon shares “Awesome, it was a roller coaster experience. There are times that you’re doubtful; you don’t know what is going on.” Liryc Dela Cruz on the other hand focused on the reception they received, “It was great and amazing. There our belief was affirmed that a lot of people really were excited and waiting for the film. Not just Mula sa Kung ano Ang Noon, but they showed much enthusiasm for all the films of Lav Diaz.” Perry also recalls, “Fans would even ask if we were gods!” We would just answer, “We’re just simple people who just wanted to do good cinema and that’s it.” Liryc also adds, “Cinema is a gift to the people, to our audience.”
Recepient of the Boccalino de Oro Independent Critics Award
for Best Actress, Hazel Orencio
Hazel Orencio, the recipient of the Boccalino de Oro Independent Critics Award for Best Actress says she is still in disbelief, “It’s too good to be true. Am I dreaming? The other awardees of the Boccalino were Paul Vecchiali and then Pedro Costa. There was not even a best actor [selected], it was really just me. I was like, wow, really? In acting you don’t expect to be given an award. It’s just an affirmation that you’re doing something good.”
Actresses Karenina Haniel and Dea Formacil-Chua pose with the awards
The other cast members talked about what it was like being a part of the Lav Diaz family and shooting this film. Karenina Haniel expresses, “It’s really good. You have so much room to explore and develop your character; you can really use all that you’ve learned. You don’t become a robot that he just cuts into. He lets you fulfill the entire identity of the character.” Dea Formacil-chua adds, “It’s really a happy family. You aren’t seen as just an actress. Though, as an actress [on this film] I have been able to do all I’ve ever wanted.” Che Villanueva touched more on the filming process, “There is no rush, there is also no pressure on us, because even ‘direk,’ he wants us to chill and be creative with whatever we do. The advantage here is that he actually gives us our own freedom to do what we want. He listens to our opinions, and he’s open to our suggestions.”
Film editor Che Villanueva poses with the awards
The entire cast shared that they hope Filipinos do come around to watching the film and if need be, break away from the norm of Cinema and appreciate it for what it is. They commended their director, Diaz, for not being afraid to push the art form and medium, and that they do believe cinemagoers will in fact, eventually be able to see films as not just entertainment but also a way to tackle social issues and everyday problems.
The Handog sa Bansa special screening is open to the public for free on September 21, 2014, the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. This screening seeks to commemorate the film’s recent triumph as well as to be an occasion to reflect on the Martial Law years in Philippine history.
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