Filipino director Brilliante Mendoza said his experience at the Cannes Film Festival filled him with pride and he was especially pleased to have chatted with Sean Penn about his Palme d'Or-nominated film Serbis (pic).
"It was a memorable experience of a lifetime," said Brilliante.
Mendoza’s Serbis - which tells the story of a family living in a rundown movie house in Angeles City, Pampanga - was screened at the main competition category for which Penn was head of the jury. Mendoza admitted that he cornered Penn during dinner about Serbis' worldwise potential, and of course to get a photo taken with him.
"At first, he didn’t want to pose with me but when he found out I was the director of Serbis, he grabbed me and posed with me. He also talked with me," Mendoza recalled. "He promised to help us when the film gets to North America later this year. But of course, Fortissimo, as the exclusive world agent of ‘Serbis,’ has all the details of the distribution process," added the film maker.
Mendoza, who also managed to get a picture with Robert De Niro, was clearly pleased enough to be in such company that he didn't mind losing out to eventual Palme d'Or winner, Laurent Cantet's The Class:
"Although we didn’t win any award, being chosen to compete in the main category, in the Palme d’Or no less, was an award in itself," he said. "I cannot forget that moment. Imagine, we had to walk the red carpet twice and it was a rare opportunity. I am proud to be a Filipino."