The much talked about Filipino film that competed in the
61st Cannes International Film Festival will finally be screened in select
theaters starting June 25. Brillante "Dante" Mendoza's indie film Serbis
has been given a rating of R-18 by the Movie and Television Review and
Classification Board (MTRCB).
The indie film was deemed controversial when critics gave it mixed reviews and when Coco Martin's manager expressed disapproval over his
ward's sensitive scenes in the movie.
Hollywood actor-director Sean Penn headed the jury of this year's Cannes IFF.
According to Ferdy Lapuz of Ignatius Films Canada (the co-producer of the
film), Sean wrote a letter addressed to Direk Dante saying: "I was glad to
speak with you at the closing night of the festival. Serbis is something
extraordinary."
Didier Costet, Serbis French-co producer, accompanied Direk
Dante in Granada, Spain last June 4 to 7. Direk Dante's previous film about
petty criminals, Tirador, was shown in competition at the Festival Cines
del Sur. From June 10-13, Dante proceeded to Sydney, Australia where both Foster
Child and Tirador were shown.
Both films were also shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
in the United Kingdom this week.
According to the official website of the Paris Cinema International Film
Festival, organizers of the said film fest will pay a very special tribute to
the Philippines from July 1 to 12. This will include a retrospective on Direk
Dante's films: Masahista, Kaleldo, Manoro, Foster Child, Tirador,
and Serbis.
Other notable events include a retrospective on the late Joey Gosengfiao, several Cinemalaya entries, and a gala screening of Sharon Cuneta's Caregiver, Judy Ann Santos's Ploning, and Piolo Pascual's Dekada ‘70.