Entertainment
PH politics tackled at Busan International Film Festival
Busan IFF 2018. Tickets for Bayaning 3rd World and A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. (Photo by Butch Ibañez via Citizen Jake/Facebook)
A total of 19 Filipino films were shown during the 10-day event of Asia’s iconic Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in Korea that happened last October 5, carrying the theme of “Cinema as a Response to the Nation.
Filipino actors Joel Torre, Christopher de Leon, and Sandy Andolong accompanied director Mike de Leon on the red carpet. Torre stated his support of Philippine cinema saying, “To understand our cinema you need to understand what the Philippines is. We are a very mixed culture.”
Director de Leon premiered numerous films as he has been very outspoken on his opinions of the Duterte regime, recently sharing on Facebook that he believes “the country has hit rock bottom,” stating, “We have de facto become a dictatorship again, in everything but name.”
The most notable De Leon film that made the BIFF playlist, melodrama “Citizen Jake,” premiered on opening day.”
The award-winning director shared that the film is “an indictment of the unchanging nature of Philippine society that is almost irredeemably damaged.”
On the opposing side of de Leon is Duterte supporter Brillante Mendoza, who also appeared at the Busan celebration and is known for taking his work to the well-known Cannes Film Festival. \
Director Mendoza has recently sparked controversy with his Netflix series on the war on drugs entitled “Amo,” which is a story of a young man who gets involved in the trade of narcotics amidst the Duterte regime. Mendoza stated to journalists during the event that he believes, “Cinema is addictive. It can change your life. It became clear to us that films have a purpose. They can make a difference.”
Most of Mendoza’s films tackle the Philippines’ history with crime and sex trafficking.
The BIFF concluded on October 14. Among the other Filipino personalities who made an appearance include Asian Film Commissions Network Producer of the Year, Bianca Balbuena-Liew, GMA star Max Collins, Cebuano star Nats Sitoy, one of three Lakbayan (Journey) directors Kidlat Tahimik, and Signal Rock star Christian Bables.
