After 24 years, Philippines got into the prestigious Cannes IFF with Serbis directed by Brillante Mendoza whose Foster Child was featured in Director’s Fortnight selection last year. It was the late Lino Brocka (was it Orapronobis or Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim?) who was the last Filipino director to enter into competition which can also mean that the Filipino film has been in a quandary for 24 years unlike its other Asian counterparts like the Koreans and Thais who have been consistently greatly raved globally.
The 61st Cannes IFF offers some serious formidable contenders: the Eastwoods, the Soderberghs, the Kaufmans, the Salleses, the Dardennes, the Egoyans, the Wenderses, the Meirelleses. An important trivia: the Brocka film was in competition with director Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas who won the Palm d’Or that year and Wim Wenders’ Palermo Shooting is also in this year’s lineup.
I’m particularly excited about Fernando Meirelles’ Blindness despite the so-so raves of very few critics. I’ve been a fan since City of God and The Constant Gardener. Looking good is Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York which will feature another powerhouse performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman. This man can’t be stopped.
Contrary to its title, Mendoza’s film is not entirely that of being “serviced” neither does it really talk about the “industry” that is oft-depicted in most Filipino films that enters into international film competitions. Serbis is about a family who operates a rundown theatre which screens boldie flicks and the events that will unfold after a bigamy case will finally be decided. I hope it gets some attention (an Actress trophy perhaps for Gina Pareño?), but as it is, man, 24 years is no joke - it’s already a feat.
Last May 19, also the day Indy 4 was screened, the cast walked the red carpet during the director’s call. You can look up the photos as well as the Official Selection in the Cannes official website.
The winners will be announced May 25. The chairman of the jury is actor-director Sean Penn with some of the jury members including actresses Alexandra Maria Lara and Natalie Portman, directors Alfonso Cuaron and Marjane Satrapi and Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The Cannes jury is known to pick low-key films for Palm D’Or as in last year – the Romanian abortion drama 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days by Christian Mungiu.
The official poster is photographed by director David Lynch. It reminds me of Patricia Arquette in Lynch's Lost Highway.
By the way, Serbis is not the only Filipino film in the screening lineup. Raya Martin’s Now Showing will be screened in the Director’s Fortnight and in the short film list is TV personality Joaqui Valdes’ Bulong. How’s that for a Pinoy French invasion.
Update: Serbis has been lashed out by critics who recently saw the film's premiere last Sunday. Despite a couple of few good raves, critics say it's "rambunctious and noisy", "c'est chaotique", too much explicit sex which may have diminished its social value, and a "head scratcher". A French chart shows Serbis scores the lowest among the films just shown. Uh-oh. But great raves for Gina Pareño though. But it should be noted, as Jessica Zafra said, the critics are not ignoring it.
Hear ye, hear ye, the official line up of Cannes 2009 is up for grabs. Loads of heavyweight shit. Pretty impressive lineup huh. Where else can you find Tarantino, Lee, Campion, Almodovar, and a familiar posse of Haneke, Loach, Noe, Lou Ye, Chan-Wook, To, Ming-liang, Coixet, Von Trier, and Alain Resnais! and Mendoza strikes yet again, whew, gosh, did I already mention the entire oeuvre? That's how promising it looks. But the unfortunate remains, I have to beg off from attending the coverage of the premiere. I know it sucks, especially if delude yourself. Ha! Anyway, the Pinoy indie scene is on a rampage. Martin and Alix also makes an appearance in Un Certain Regard and Special Screenings. 
