A film about a run-down theater in Pampanga recently earned for the Philippines two citations in a Russian film fest that ended last Friday, September 19. Brillante "Dante" Mendoza won as Best Director in the 6th International Pacific Meridian Film Festival in Vladivostok, Russia. Gina Pareño, the lead actress of the film Serbis, won the Best Actress plum. Both awards come with a substantial cash prize.

In order to portray the matriarch of the Family theater, Gina had to get her hair dyed white but she sustained hair problems, forcing her to wear a wig for some time.

The Pacific Meridian is an international film festival of Asian Pacific countries that started in 2003. This year's edition was held in Russia from September 13 - 19. Direk Dante attended the awarding along with Coco Martin, another cast member of Serbis.

The international jury that chose this year's winners was headed by a Denmark producer named Vibeke Windelov. The other jury members include a Russian director Svetlana Proskurina, Japanese actress Momoi Kaori, American producer Sarah Hoch, and Korean producer Oh Jungwan.