The lineup of the 62nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival was announced earlier today, April 23. Brillante "Dante" Mendoza has once again entered into the festival's prestigious Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) competition via his entry titled Kinatay (the Execution of P).

In a text message sent to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), Direk Dante revealed that his action-thriller film has been invited to compete in the 2009 Cannes Film Fest. Previously titled Chop Chop, this film is based on victims whose body parts have been chopped off and mutilated by killers.

Direk Dante's Kinatay is one of 20 films chosen and it will compete against movies such as Inglourious Basterds directed by Quentin Tarantino and Taking Woodstock directed by Ang Lee. Brad Pitt will topbill Tarantino's World War II action film. Taking Woodstock is a comedy based on the legendary three-day concert that took place in the '60s.


This year's festival will take place from May 13-24 at Cannes, France.

Two other Filipino films have entered different sections of Cannes: Manila directed by Adolfo Alix Jr. and Raya Martin as well as a family drama set in the early 1900s titled Independencia, also directed by Raya.

Manila is one of the six films chosen to have a special screening in Cannes. Matinee idol Piolo Pascual starred in and produced this twin-bill film. He appears in the two episodes "inspired" by Ishmael Bernal's 1980 movie Manila By Night and by Lino Brocka's 1979 film Jaguar (slang for security guard). Manila also stars Rosanna Roces (who plays Piolo's mother in the film).

Direk Adolf informed PEP through a text message that Piolo will be presenting the independent film at Cannes, France. His SMS reads in full: "It was unexpected because we got it [invitation from Cannes] last minute. Piolo is excited to present the film. Yes, he's going [to France]."


Meanwhile, Raya's Independencia is one of 20 films included in the section called Prix Un Certain Regard, which is dedicated to "young talent, innovative and audacious works." Independencia was produced using a 120,000-euro (P7 million) grant from the French government called Fonds Sud Cinema. This period film tells the story of a mother and son who run off to the mountains during the American occupation.


Last year, Direk Dante was able to compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or via his film Serbis, a family drama starring Gina Pareño, Coco Martin, and Jaclyn Jose, among others.

Direk Raya also took part in the 61st edition of Cannes when his four-hour 40-minute film, Now Showing, was accepted for screening at the Director's Fortnight.