Brillante Mendoza’s ‘Ma’ Rosa’ goes to Oscars 2017
After huge success of Ma’ Rosa, an award-winning film directed by Brillante Mendoza, the film continue to wow the world as it has been chosen as the Philippines’ entry to the 89th Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film Category.
The film is a reflection of the country’s current drug war situation that captures the rise of summary killings only after three months the new president is elected.
Hollywood Reporter’s Boyd van Hoeij expressed, “Mendoza again manages to turn his locations into a character in its own right. The decision to shoot in August, which is the typhoon season, adds a highly dramatic touch to the exterior scenes and especially the rain-lashed police roundup.”
“Ma’ Rosa” certainly follows all the tenets of the neorealist movement. It is shot with portable, inexpensive equipment on location in Manila’s poorest neighborhoods. It follows the working poor into intractable knot of public corruption meant to provoke outrage and indict all levels of society,” Ben Croll wrote.
While Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian reviewed Ma’Rosa as “made with control and clarity, a narrative purpose which is held on to…a cold, hard look at what being poor actually means, and how few options there are for escape.”
Before Ma’ Rosa has been finally submitted to Oscars 2017, the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) headed by Director Edgardo ‘Boy’ Vinarao together with Director Jose N. Carreon, Director Mike Sandejas, actor/scriptwriter Ed Rocha, cinematographer Lee Meily, actor Michael de Mesa and actress Cherry Gil as members choose first with these films including Erik Matti’s Honor Thy Father, Derick Cabrido’s Nora Aunor starrer “Tuos, Eduardo Roy’s “Pamilya Ordinaryo,” Lav Diaz’ “Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis,” Joel Lamangan’s “Felix Manalo,” Jun Lana’s “Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan,” Gil Portes’ “Ang Hapis at Himagsik ni Hermano Puli,” and Lav Diaz’ Venice Golden Lion winning film “Ang Babaeng Humayo.”
The 89th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on February 26, 2017.
