Brillante joins Cannes 70th anniversary photo call

Brillante Ma Mendoza stands behind Monica Bellucci and Benicio Del Toro at the 70th anniversary photo call.

Organizers describe it as “quite a family portrait.” This photo call to end all photo calls was organized to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival.

For this “exceptional” photo call, 113 screen luminaries from all over the globe were invited “to pay tribute to the fest”: former Palme d’Or winners (who were seated in the front row, of course), best actor and actress recipients, past and present jury members and renowned guests.

Representing the Philippines is filmmaker Brillante Ma Mendoza, who won best director in Cannes for “Kinatay” in 2009.

Mendoza joined Hollywood/world cinema stars Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Will Smith, Jessica Chastain, Kirsten Dunst, Charlize Theron, Benicio Del Toro, Elle Fanning, Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Monica Bellucci, Salma Hayek, Shu Qi, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, and acclaimed filmmakers Jane Campion, Pedro Almodovar, Michael Haneke, Bille August, Dario Argento, Costa-Gavras, Oliver Stone, Alfonso Cuaron, Guillermo del Toro and Sofia Coppola. Say fromage (cheese)! —BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.

Mendoza in Cannes