Foreigners have recently chosen a Filipino film about the
chaotic lives of gangsters as their "Bet of the Future." During the sixth
edition of the Paris Cinema International Film Festival, a jury of students and
a film reviewer from French magazine Positif conferred Jim Libiran's Tribu
with the Pari de L'Avenir Award, which translates to "We Bet that the Film Will
be a Classic."
The Best Picture winner of Cinemalaya 2007 is filled with violence, street fights, and gambling—elements that can be found in the world of gangsters living in Tondo, Manila. It bested nine other films that were included in the film fest held in France from July 1-12, 2008.
"To be recognized in the city where cinema was born is immensely satisfying," said Direk Jim. In his acceptance speech, he told the international audience: "I come from a country where, for decades, people have been leaving for greener pastures. It's heartbreaking, but we didn't know that by doing so, we were slowly exporting love and care. Now we are exporting culture and arts.
"In front of me and behind me is a whole army of Filipino
talents. And not only that, as you have experienced here in the Festival Paris
Cinema, Filipinos can fill your movie houses. We are a potent, profitable
force. Let us continue appreciating and supporting each others' culture, and we
will give you 81 million more moviegoers....because through this recognition,
through this award, the Filipinos are invisible no more."
Two other awards: the Pari du Jury and Pari du Public were bagged by the light-hearted documentary Young@Heart directed by Stephen Walker of the UK. The movie about twenty-four senior citizens singing unique renditions of punk, rock, and rhythm-and-blues songs received the main jury prize and the audience award in the Parisian festival.
The other films in competition were:
Adhen (Dernier Maquis) Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche, France and Algeria, 2008
Dorothy, Agnès Merlet, France and UK, 2007
Kabei (Kabei - Our Mother), Yoji Yamada, Japan, 2007
Lake Tahoe, Fernando Eimbcke, Mexico, 2008
Mange, ceci est mon corps (Eat, for This is My Body), Michelange Quay, France and Haiti, 2007
Tejut (Milky Way), Benedek Fliegauf, Hungary and Germany
Zuo You (In Love We Trust), Wang Xiaoshuai, China, 2008
Versailles, Pierre Schoeller, France, 2008
As for the short film category, Alvin Yapan's Rolyo lost to Mirabelle Kirkland's Les Couillus for the audience award and La Sainy-Festin from Annelaure Daffis and Leo Marchand for the jury prize.