Like Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, director Brillante Mendoza deserves to be given a hero’s welcome when he comes home, an award winning filmmaker said Monday.

Mendoza has bagged the best director award at the recently concluded 62nd Cannes Film Festival for his dark movie "Kinatay (The Execution of P).” This is the first time that a Filipino won the prestigious award.

Mario O’Hara said he is happy and proud of his colleague’s achievement in the prestigious international film event.

“Masyadong mataas ang pagpapahalaga ng Cannes sa sinumang nananalo kaya masuwerte si Brillante. Malaking karangalan ‘yan hindi lang para sa ating local movie industry kundi sa ating bansa, lalo na,” commented O’Hara. 

He added: “Kung nabigyan si Manny Pacquiao ng gano’n katinding welcome, kailangang gano’n din ang ibigay kay Brillante. Magkaiba lang nga ng larangan ang kanilang pinanalunan pero ito ay para sa Pilipinas.”

O’Hara also exhibited his movie, “Babae Sa Breakwater,” during the 2004 Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight.

Mendoza’s triumph is also a victory for the Philippine movie industry as a whole. O’Hara said he hopes big filmmaking companies will give Mendoza a break and support so that he can further make movies that are worthy of international recognition. 

 “Ang Cannes ang stamp pad ng isang mahusay na direktor. It can also change the course of our filmmaking direction. Para makagawa tayo ng kikita at mananalo sa ibang bansa,” O’Hara suggested.

Controversial digital film director Jowee Morel is also proud of Mendoza’s achievement in Cannes.

“Wow! Fabulous.Very good. First in the history of the Philippines that a Filipino director is awarded in a big, credible film festival anywhere in the world,” said Morel.

The Execution of P

"Kinatay" notably features corrupt cops hacking a prostitute to pieces with blunt kitchen knives.

Mendoza, at Cannes for the second year running, again split the critics, drawing both hisses and applause for "Kinatay." Last year's "Serbis" was set in a Manila porn-theatre with long close-ups of festering boils and overflowing toilets, as well as the poverty and distress on the streets.

Still determined to portray the social reality around him,  Mendoza in "Kinatay" traces 24 hours in the day of a trainee policeman, happily beginning with his wedding in the morning to close with the young man's first outing at night with a band of corrupt colleagues.

To his surprise, fear and anguish, they pick up a prostitute accused of betrayal and wind up torturing, raping, killing and hacking her before disposing of the body parts across Manila.

"This is not just entertainment, these kinds of stories are real," Mendoza said at Cannes.

Last year was the first time since 1984 the Philippines had a film competing for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d'Or.

Critics

O’Hara, meanwhile, slammed Mendoza’s critics in the country. 

“Dapat ay hindi nila sinisiraan si Brillante. Dapat, nakikiisa sila sa kanya. Ito ang dapat para umunlad ang ating movie industry.”

Armando Lao, “Kinatay’s" screenwriter, said he already learned how to shrug off negative criticisms, particularly those coming from Hollywood critics.

“Kasi, nasanay na ang mga Hollywood critics sa klase na pelikulang gusto nila. Ayaw nila talaga o hindi nila masakyan ang real time approach in filmmaking,” said Lao.

He also brushed aside acerbic remarks of local critics on his film. “Talangka mentality lang ‘yan.”

Lao stayed behind as Mendoza and film's lead stars flew to Cannes to attend the festival.

“Busy rin si Dante (Mendoza) ngayon lalo pa at nanalo siya. Interviews ‘yan kahit saan,” he added.

Lao is already in the post-production stage of his directorial debut in “Biyaheng Lupa.” -- With a report from Agence France-Presse