Independent film director, Brillante Mendoza, would be the first one to tell you that
despite all the awards and accolades he has received for his films, at the end of the
day, it is how his audience interprets the work that truly matters.
How ironic was it then that on the day PLAYBOY came to interview him at the headquarters of Centerstage Productions, we were ushered into the ‘trophy room,’ a mid-sized room with
two wall-to-wall shelves practically overflowing with all the awards he has received? As ironic as the fact that despite his films tackling such dark and oppressive subject matters,
often rated in the ‘Restricted’ category by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), he still managed to snag an AnakTV award for being a strong
inspiration to the youth.
When we pointed out the seeming incongruity of the award to the adult themes of his movies, Mendoza laughed it off and explained, “When they gave me that award, it wasn’t for any one particular film. At that time I was also doing a lot of advocacy work for Ilog Pasig and
for the environment.” Fair point. But what makes him inspirational? Is it because he is not afraid to tackle stories that most of us cringe just thinking about? Is it because he has proven himself at the international level? Is it because his popularity has opened doors for more Filipino directors and movies to be recognized abroad? Ask these of Mendoza, and he’ll most likely just shrug and say, “Well, I’m just doing what I love.”
And what may seem to be nonchalance on his part, is, in fact, humility and, perhaps, even a touch of insecurity. "Three days ago, I was talking to my writer. Sabi ko, it’s so different now [from] when we did our first film, "Masahista", like seven years ago. Parang laru-laro lang tapos nanalo. Uy, bakit siya nanalo eh parang ginagawa lang natin yung gusto nating gawin? Uy, nare-recognize. Ibig sabihin magaling daw tayo. Of course, that’s from their point of view. Then you come to ask yourself, magaling ba talaga ako? Ano ba talaga?” he shared.
Mendoza’s rise to fame did not come overnight as is often the case with most celebrities nowadays. He started out in the entertainment industry as a production designer for some highly-acclaimed movies in the 80s, having graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) with a degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Advertising. Throughout the 90s and the early 2000s, Mendoza found himself directing TV commercials for a prestigious list of companies
in the country. It wasn’t until 2005 when he set up his own production company, Centerstage Productions, did he decide to venture into film directing.
Full article appeared in Playboy Philippines magazine July 2013. Photo by Owen Reyes.
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