Young filmmaker Mikhail Red named best new director at Vancouver film fest

MANILA, Philippines—Young Filipino filmmaker Mikhail Red won the Best New Director award at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) under the Dragons and Tigers competition for his feature film “Rekorder” on Friday (Manila time).

Red bested 10 young directors from Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Indonesia, USA, Peru, Taiwan, France and Iceland.

According to the official blog of the VIFF, the Best New Director Award is a new prize awarded annually to a first or second-time international director for a creative and innovative film which has not yet won significant international recognition.

“Rekorder” is centered on Maven, who shifts from being a former professional cinematographer to a scuzzy videographer, compulsively recording everything from the birth of his daughter to crime on the streets.

Maven then captures a murder on his obsolete camcorder. The video went viral and the consequences ruin his life.

Maven was portrayed by Ronnie Quizon, the son of the late King of Comedy, Dolphy.

“Rekorder” has won various awards at several film festivals in Annonay, France, Barcelona, Spain and Gwangju, South Korea.

Programmer Tony Rayns described “Rekorder” as “a riveting debut… half noir thriller, half study of what it means to stand apart and look.”

Red, 22, started writing and directing short films at age 15.

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