MANILA, January 1, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda hailed Brillante Mendoza’s latest film “Thy Womb” as a creative and fearless contribution to Filipino filmmaking, and added that it deserved the seven awards it garnered at the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Brillante Mendoza won Best Production Design and Best Director, while Odyssey Flores won Best Cinematography, Henry Burgos won Best Original Story, and Nora Aunor won Best Actress for “Thy Womb”. The film also won the Gender Sensitivity Special Award for the Mainstream category, and the Gatpuno Villegas Award.
“The Senate earlier recognized the independent filmmaker Brillante Mendoza through Senate Resolution 871 for winning both the La Navicella Venezia Cinema Award of the critics’ circle Journal of Cinema, and the P. Nazareno Taddei Award Special Mention at the 69th Venice International Film Festival,” Legarda explained.
She noted that in late November, he was also awarded Best Director Award at the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) in Brisbane, Australia.
“These awards bring to the fore the immense talent of Filipino filmmakers as a whole,” she remarked.
“Thy Womb” was released in 2012 and stars Aunor, Bembol Roco, Lovi Poe, and Mercedes Cabral. Aunor also won numerous recognitions, including the Best Actress Award at the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
“I highly recommend Thy Womb as it explores the intricacies of rural life largely through the eyes of a Badjao midwife, thereby revealing new facets of the plight of Filipino indigenous peoples,” she stressed.
“Mendoza tackles heavy subject matter that our society needs to pay attention to, and does his part in encouraging other filmmakers to push the boundaries of art and storytelling,” Legarda concluded.
