Tomorrow, May 16, the Cannes Film Festival 2023 opens with French film Jeanne du Barry, directed, produced, and co-written by and starring Maïwenn with Johnny Depp. Jeanne is a courtesan climbing up society and becoming King Louis XV’s favorite lover. Her arrival in Versailles scandalizes everyone. In the Un Certain Regard, La Regne Animal (The Animal Kingdom) by Thomas Cailley is the opening film, a combination of adventure, science fiction, and drama. In this film, a father takes his son to a journey into a world, where humans mutate into animals.
Unfortunately, no Filipino film has been selected at the Competition or Un Certain Regard sections this year. But do not fret because our young filmmakers are slowly inching their way up to the international film market.
'TOPAKK' staring Arjo Atayde
The Fantastic Pavillion, a new genre section debuting this year at the Cannes’ Marché du Film, is showcasing TOPAKK directed by Richard Somes. We are hoping that the film, which runs for one hour and 52 minutes, will bring back the popular Filipino action film to international fame. The gala screening at the Olympia Theater on May 18 stars Arjo Atayde as a security guard with PTSD, who helps a woman fight the crooks-laden police death squad. TOPAKK is co-produced by international and local companies headed by Raven Banner, Nathan Studios, Fusee, and Strawdogs Studio.
Aside from screenings, the Producers Network founded 16 years ago is the go-to destination for producers seeking to do better business in Cannes. For the Philippine delegation, Benedict Mique of Lonewolf Films Inc. and Lino Cayetano of Rein Entertainment were picked to join the Producers Network. Benedict is known for the Cinemalaya film, ML, starring Eddie Garcia. He has produced Momol Nights (2021) while Lino has worked mostly on television shows, such as Starstruck and Maalaala Mo Kaya. He also produced Nanahimik Ang Gabi (A Silent Night) directed by Shugo Praico in 2022.
Benedict Mique and Lino Cayetano
More than 400 producers worldwide gather at the Palace of Festivals and Congresses for a series of meetings, conferences, networking events, and parties in order to create opportunities and build co-production projects. In one of the guidelines, “The Producers Network is reserved to producers whose main activity is production and who have produced in the last four years at least one feature film, commercially released in theaters or on a streaming platform.”
Cannes makes sure they start training filmmakers young. The Focus WiP (Work in Progress) gives short filmmakers the chance to promote their project, get possible financiers through pitching and heighten the launch of their film to an international market. Homegrown Jan Carlo Natividad joins Focus WiP - SFC | Rendez-vous Industry, Festival de Cannes (a creative program of Cannes Court Métrage) for his documentary project, The Art of Detaching One’s Memory. It is a spiritual story from one of our regions, exploring roots and identity. Jan Carlo is from Dagupan, Pangasinan.
In La fabrique cinéma de l’institut français 2023, the Philippines is to be directed by Arvin Belarmino and produced by Kristine De Leon of MUD Studios.
Ria, a film in development by Arvin Belarmino
The tailored program helps 10 talented young directors working on their first or second feature films to attend the Festival de Cannes, be present at meetings, bond with key players in the film arena, and increase their international exposure.
One of the six filmmakers at the prestigious Résidence of the Festival de Cannes this year is Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan of Ifugao and Visayan descent. Last year, his short film The Headhunter’s Daughter won the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and the Gold Hugo at the 58th Chicago International Film Festival.
La Résidence du Festival de Cannes has provided accommodation and support since 2000 to selected young directors in order to help them prepare their first or second feature film.
Since March, Don stayed for four-and-a-half-months in Paris, developing his screenplay Ovug (Hum), a neo-western genre to be shot in La Trinidad. He will be in Cannes from May 16 to May 22.
The future looks bright for these young, idealistic filmmakers who are all being developed by the European production setup. We hope they bring and practice the good experiences of their Cannes immersion and share the latest know-how back to our motherland. We believe these names and their upcoming films will be invited to Cannes someday.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed.