Brillante Mendoza’s ‘Motherland’ movie to compete at Busan International Film Festival

Acclaimed Filipino director Brillante Mendoza’s film about the 2015 Mamasapano massacre has been selected for competition at the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) taking place from Oct 2 to 11 in Busan, South Korea. 

The BIFF announced that Mendoza’s movie “Motherland” has been selected for Jiseok, “a competition section for established Asian filmmakers with three or more feature films. The two best films are presented with the KIM Jiseok Award. The award was created in commemoration of the late Kim Jiseok, program director who devoted his life to nurture and support Asian cinema.”

The 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will be held from Oct. 2 to 11 in Busan, South Korea (BIFF)

“Motherland” by Brillante Mendoza (BIFF)

Filipino director Brillante Mendoza (Photo from Asian World Film Festival's Instagram account)

The competition section was named in honor of the late Kim Jiseok, “a senior programmer who devoted himself to developing Asian cinema.” 

Eight films from the Philippines, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, India and Taiwan have been selected for the Jiseok section. 

These are: 

“I Am Love” by Baek Seungbin (South Korea) 

“So it goes” by Lee Haram (South Korea) 

“Aimitagai” by Kusano Shogo (Japan)

“Traveling Alone” by Ishibashi Yuho (Japan)

“Motherland” by Brillante Mendoza (Philippines) 

“Deal at the Border” by Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi (Kyrgyzstan)

“Village Rockstars 2” by Rima Das (India) 

“Yen and Ai-Lee” by Lin Tom Shu-Yu (Taiwan) 

“I Am Love” by Baek Seungbin, South Korea (BIFF) 

“Traveling Alone” by Ishibashi Yuho, Japan (BIFF)

“So it goes” by Lee Haram, South Korea (BIFF) 

“Village Rockstars 2” by Rima Das, India (BIFF)

“Aimitagai” by Kusano Shogo, Japan (BIFF)

“Deal at the Border” by Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi, Kyrgyzstan (BIFF)

“Yen and Ai-Lee” by Lin Tom Shu-Yu, Taiwan (BIFF)

The BIFF also announced films selected for the New Currents competition. These are: