The Cinemalaya film starring Yul Servo and Ronnie Lazaro has
bagged the NETPAC award during the 28th Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film
Festival. Directed by Tara Illenberger, Brutus is about two Mangyan
children traveling the Lisap River in order to transport illegal logs. Along
the way, they meet a rebel leader (played by Yul) who is being tracked down by
the military led by Ronnie's character. The Mangyan natives are played by young
thespians Timothy Mabalot and Rhea Medina.
The awarding ceremony of the Hawaiian film fest took place last October 14 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. The other Filipino films that are part of the Louis Vuitton Hawaii IFF are Ron Morales' Santa Mesa and Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil's Boses, which is also a Cinemalaya 2008 entry. The Philippine-US-Iceland co-production The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela is also part of the Asian showcase of the said film fest.
The NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) award is given at select international film festivals to promote Asian cinema by spotlighting exceptional films and discovering new talents.
According to GMA News, Direk Tara was not able to attend the festival due to a
death in the family.
Last July, Brutus bagged the Special Jury Award in Cinemalaya for "depicting culture collisions in the context of environmental exploitation." It also earned the Best Supporting Actor award for Yul Servo, the Best Cinematography award for Emilio "Jay" Abello, and the Best Musical Score award for Joey Ayala.