Lav Diaz's latest film will vie for honors at the 77th Venice International Film Festival organized by La Biennale di Venezia.
His "Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)" is among the line up under the Orizzonti Competition, along with 18 other participants from France, India, Iran, Italy, USA, Australia, Switzerland, Tunisia, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Morocco, Belgium, Ivory Coast, Canada, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Greece, Poland, Slovenia, Mexico, Colombia, Romania, United Kingdom, China, and Kazakhstan.
Though Lav is known as one of key proponents of the slow cinema movement, having made several of the longest narrative films on record, his entry only has 150 minutes running time.
The cast of "Lahi, Hayop (Genus Pan)" is composed of Bart Guingona, DMs Boongaling, Nanding Josef, Hazel Orencio, Joel Saracho, and Noel Sto. Domingo
The category in which the film made the cut is an international competition dedicated to films that "represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in international cinema."
The Venice International Film Festival will be held at Lido di Venezia from Sept. 2 to 12.
It is not the first time Lav has competed in the festival. The first time was back in 2007 when his 540-minute film "Kagadanan Sa Banwaan Ning Mga Engkanto (Death In The Land Of Encantos)" was awarded with a Golden Lion Special Mention.
Four years later, he went back for his film "Siglo Ng Pagluluwal (Century Of Birthing)," where the 360-minute film premiered.
In 2016, Lav received the Golden Lion at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival for the 228-minute "Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left)."