Mendoza, Cannes and censorship

Many people observed that acclaimed director Brillante Mendoza's arrival didn't receive much fanfare. This is despite Mendoza's Best Director award (Prix de la mise en scène) at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival.

Mendoza's film "Kinatay (The Execution of P)" talks about the rape and murder of a prostitute by crooked cops. The film is of much relevance these days. Rape in the Philippines is an offense where the rapist is spared from serving his term in jail. It has become a crime where the victim is afraid to come out in the open for fear of being ridiculed and later on bribed to leave the country.

Despite the film's award-winning status, there's no chance it can be shown in theaters, as lamented by the director himself, due to censorship. Mendoza said he'd rather show his films in schools and universities and other censorship-free zones. Now, even films shown in schools are already a target of censorship.

MTCB
Artists, filmmakers, and advocates are all in a tight battle once again for the passing of House Bill 6425 which seeks to repeal and replace Presidential Decree 1986 which had created the MTRCB. The bill was sponsored by Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino, Gabriela Women's Party-list Rep.Liza Maza, and Bayan Muna Rep.Teodoro Casiño.

To quote GWP Rep. Liza Maza: "It is high time to replace a martial law relic, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board Act of 2009 (MTRCB) that has long been used as an instrument to curtail the right to freedom of expression, especially socially-relevant and creative works critical of the administration in power."

The bill was crafted to give way to a Board that does not curtail freedom of expression. Please note that most films showing "critical political and social contents," per Rep. Maza's statement, are hit with an “X” rating. It is ironic that the films being rated X are award-winning films. Take for instance Mendoza's films that include Masahista (The Masseur), Foster Child, Tirador (Slingshot), and Serbis, which were all entered in the Cannes Film Festivals. Add to these other filmmakers that made it to international film festivals like Jeffrey Jeturian's 2006 film “Kubrador,” which won for Gina Pareño a best actress trophy.

Censorship's global reach

Equally challenging is the plight of directors bravely facing stiff censorship in their countries. Chinese director Lou Ye, one of the participants in this year's Cannes, was banned in China. Another director named Bahman Gohbadi, though not officially banned, is not allowed to shoot in Iran. It is very unfortunate that most of the films that depict harsh realities in their homelands can't be shown in their respective countries. And while these films can't find the approbation of their governments, they find their more appreciative audience in international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin and other international festivals.

Mendoza's firm stand on censorship

With the killer censorship board still in the works, there is very little chance the film can be shown in the Philippines.

This does not stop Mendoza from opposing harsh censorship, thus he maintains:

"Only the director has the right to cut films. Not even the producer can suggest cuts, which is happening in the country now. I don't mind if my films are rated X, but I still want them to be shown publicly. I don't intend to show my films in SM, not even Robinson's."