Pinoy film to screen at Venice and Toronto Film festivals

Pinoy film to screen at Venice and Toronto Film festivals

By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

The latest Lav Diaz opus “Death in the Land of Encantos” has been chosen to screen at the prestigious Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. Both festivals will screen a total of fifteen feature films from Rotterdam’s co-production market CineMart, backed by the Hubert Bals Fund.

"Death in the Land of Encantos," shot shortly after typhoon Reming hit the Philippines in November 2006, was a recipient of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) Hubert Bals Fund for post production.

“We are honored to have a grant and [we have] supported Lav Diaz in making this film because we feel that he earns this support. We have shown a lot of his work in Rotterdam. He is a remarkable filmmaker and he represents for us one of the best filmmakers of the Philippines,” IFFR Press Director Bert-Jan Zoet said.

Death in the Land of Encantos is the story of a poet who lived in Russia but returns to his hometown to bury his mother, father and sister killed in the devastation wrought by typhoon Reming.

The fund’s grants (for script development, post production or distribution in the country of origin) act as a film project’s seal of approval, making it easier to attract additional co-producers and financiers.

The Hubert Bals fund provides grants annually in two rounds. Diaz won a grant for post production in the spring round.

“Twice a year we receive around 300 to 325 application so it’s quite remarkable to get selected for a grant. Each round may be around 20 to 25 projects. But only less than 10% only gets the grant,” Zoet explains.

Zoet finds Diaz to be outstanding especially that his film has been included in the two film festivals.

“Remarkable. First of all to get into the Venice film fest, selection is quite an achievement already because too many filmmakers so want this and the Venice film program is not that huge and is a very top selection,” Zoet said.

“And also to be selected for Toronto is quite good because then all of the North American industry will take notice of it and can see the film,” he added.

The 64th Venice Film Festival started on August 29 and will close on September 8. The 32nd Toronto International Film Festival will be held on Sept. 6 -15. The International Film Festival Rotterdam will be held on January 23 to February 3, 2008.

(Photos by Laurel Penaranda)

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