The Metropolitan Museum of Manila kicks off its 40th Anniversary with an exhibit on film entitled Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker which featuring the masterpieces of the internationally acclaimed filmmaker.
A project of Metropolitan Museum of Manila in partnership with SM and Center Stage Productions with support from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Epson Philippines, Power Mac Center, Inc., Max’s Restaurant and Manny O Wines, Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker is part of the first of a series of exhibitions lined up in the last quarter of the year to celebrate the Metropolitan Museum of Manila’s 40th anniversary.
A first major exhibition and retrospective about Director Brillante Mendoza, this exhibit features the full length films, advocacy documentaries and other productions like televisions commercials that showcase the director’s excellence on his craft that made him the celebrated filmmaker he is today.
Curated by Professor Leo Abaya, this exhibition brings the cinematic experience to the Museum by showcasing Mendoza’s lifework as an artist. His biography takes us back to his early beginnings from working in advertising, production design, and going back to what he is destined for, the film industry. In 2005, he founded his independent film production outfit known as Center Stage Productions (CSP) and directed his first film Masahista, which immediately received international recognition.
Since the success of his debut film, he has produced a body of work that garnered recognition from local and international film bodies. He is the first Asian to win the prestigious Best Director Award at Cannes Film Festival for his film Kinatay in 2009 and is regarded by the world’s top film critics as an ultra-neo-realist. This year, his film Ma’Rosa was in the Main Competition of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where Jaclyn Jose won the Best Actress award.
“I wish to congratulate the Metropolitan Museum of Manila on its 40th anniversary, and feel honored and privileged that this exhibit of my films will be part of it,” says Mendoza. “While many of us consider films to be a form of entertainment, film – especially alternative cinema – is also an important art form, and a powerful medium of communication. With its visual impact, film has the ability to bridge gaps between cultures and continents. It can also make us aware of the stark realities of life in our midst.”
As a filmmaker, Mendoza hopes that “visitors to the museum will see the amazing potential of alternative cinema as an art form, exploring the nature of inspiration, creativity, and communication. Art, after all, is how you see life, and I hope this collaboration with the Met will give viewers and opportunity to Rethink and Redefine cinema.”
Another highlight of the exhibition is the Film Equipment exhibit of CMB Films showing collections of analogue cameras, lenses, sound recorders, lights, grip equipment and vintage movie projectors.