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.