“Lola” Opens 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival

Starting things off with a bang, the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival showcases Brillante Mendoza’s latest work, Lola, as its opening film. Director Mendoza’s latest work, Lola was preceded by his film Kinatay (The Execution of P), which earned him the prestigious Best Director Award at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival last May 2009. Lola is slated as the Philippine surprise entry in the 66th Venice Film Festival, (Main Competition) which counts acclaimed filmmaker Ang Lee as Chairman of this year’ jury.

Starring Philippine cinema icon Anita Linda in the leading role, Lola is about two elderly women who try to cope and survive life’s harsher realities for the elderly. Both bear the consequences of a crime involving their respective grandsons — one is the victim, the other is the suspect. Both weak and poor, they laboriously solicit money in the midst of a storm — one for the victim’s burial, the other for the suspect’s bail bond.

The association between Cinemanila and Mendoza goes way back, as the festival was one of the very first to give this now world-renowned filmmaker international recognition. Mendoza won the Grand Prize and Best Director Award in Cinemanila’s Digital Lokal competition – his first international award – for his film Manoro with Christian Jeune of Cannes Film Festival at the helm of the 2006 Main Competition Jury. Mendoza was also the Director in Focus during the festival’s momentous 10th edition last year. And for Cinemanila 2009, Mendoza is now head of the Main Competition Jury of this year’s festival.

The 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival will be held from October 15 to 25, 2009 in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Around 100 international and local films will be screened in a span of 10 days – from the current toasts of the local indie scene to the award-winners and favourites at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Sundance, and Pusan. The festival will also feature workshops, seminars and master classes. For more info, contact cinemanila.entries@gmail.com and cinemanila@gmail.com or go to www.cinemanila.org.ph.

The 2009 Cinemanila is presented by the City of Taguig and the Cinemanila Interrnational Film Festival Foundation, in cooperation with Cinema One, Click the City, Business World, Philippine Star, Pep.ph, Spot.ph, Web Philippines, and the World Cinema Fund.

http://www.cinemanila.org.ph/