MET launches exhibition on int’lly-acclaimed director Brillante Mendoza

By: 8 years ago

Internationally-acclaimed Filipino director Brillante Mendoza is part of the first of a series of exhibitions lined up in the last quarter of the year to celebrate the Metropolitan Museum of Manila’s 40th anniversary.

Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker showcases the full length films, documentaries and other productions like television commercials that have made Mendoza the celebrated filmmaker that he is today. This collection is complemented by film posters and video production equipment that the director himself designed and utilized in his work. Curated by Prof. Leo Abaya, this exhibition is organized in partnership with SM and Center Stage Productions, with the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Epson Philippines, PowerMac Center, Max’s Restaurant and Manny O Wines. The exhibition will be on view from September 5 to October 1, 2016.

“I wish to congratulate the Metropolitan Museum of Manila on its 40th anniversary. I feel honored and privileged that an exhibit on my films will be part of it,” expresses Director Mendoza. “While many of us consider films to be a form of entertainment, film – especially alternative cinema – is also an important art form, and a powerful medium of communication. With its visual impact, film has the ability to bridge gaps between cultures and continents. Film can also make us aware of the stark realities of life in our midst.”

Mendoza (b.1960) spent the early stages of his career designing sets for various feature films, TV shows and advertisements. He later on entered the film industry and worked with a handful of the Philippines’ top directors, namely Celso Ad Castillo, Peque Gallaga, Chito Roño and and William Pascual. It was only at the age of 45 that Mendoza directed his first full-length film, Masahista (2005), which immediately gained him international recognition. The success of his debut film catapulted his filmmaking career and prompted him to produce more award-winning films: Foster Child (2007), Kinatay (2009), Thy Womb (2012), Taklub (2015) and Ma’Rosa (2016). In 2015 Mendoza was decorated with France’s highest honor for the arts, the Chevalier dansl’Ordre des Arts et Lettres.

Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker is the first major exhibition on film that the MET is mounting to highlight film and the moving image as a contemporary art form. Film festivals and other events that celebrate Mendoza’s work have been organized here in Philippines and abroad in the past. This show at the MET, however, will be the first time the Mendoza’s body of work is explored comprehensively and within a museum exhibition context.

“As a filmmaker, I hope visitors to the museum will see the amazing potential of alternative cinema as an art form, exploring the nature of inspiration, creativity, and communication. Art, after all, is how you see life, and I hope this collaboration with the Met will give viewers and opportunity to rethink and redefine cinema,” says Mendoza.

The exhibition is complemented by a set of education programs that includes off-site special screenings of his multi-awarded films at the SM Mall of Asia and the Conrad Hotel, and weekend workshops and lectures. Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker launches the MET’s public program, Free Admission Tuesday. Starting September 6, 2016, the public can enjoy viewing all of MET’s galleries for free every Tuesday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila. It is open from Monday until Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For inquiries, call (02) 708-7828 or email info@metmuseum.ph. ADVT.