A still from the movie “Jodilerks dela Cruz, Employee of the Month.” CONTRIBUTED
A Filipino film made it to Cannes this year.
Although there are no Filipino entries in the main and short film competitions, Carlo Francisco Manatad’s short film “Jodilerks dela Cruz, Employee of the Month” was chosen to be part of the competition of International Critics’ Week, known as the oldest parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival.
The short film features actors Ross Pesigan, Ogie Tiglao and Angeli Bayani in the lead role as a gas station attendant.
Manatad is one of the awardees of the Inquirer Indie Bravo! last year. Manatad recently won the Best Comedy award at the Aspen Shortsfest in Colorado with another short film “Fatima Maria Torres and the Invasion of Space Shuttle Pinas 25.”
READ: Inquirer Indie Bravo! toasts an a-list year for PH films
“It always feels surreal especially since Cannes is one of the biggest film festivals in the world,” Manatad told the Inquirer. “It’s an incredible honor to be the only Filipino film in Cannes this year.”
READ: Long time coming for PH shorts in Cannes
Now on its 56th year, the International Critics’ Week will be held in France from May 18 to 26.