Filmmaker Rithy Panh (third from left beside Zhang Ziyi) of Cambodia wins the Un Certain Regard prize for his work, “The Missing Picture” at the Cannes Film Festival. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MOTOHARU OE
CANNES—The Philippines failed to bring home a trophy, but another Southeast Asian country won the Un Certain Regard prize.
Top award went to Rithy Panh’s “The Missing Picture” of Cambodia, besting 16 other films from 15 different countries—including two entries from the Philippines: Lav Diaz’s “Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan” and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Death March.”
“The Missing Picture” combines clay animation and docu footages of Pol Pot’s reign of terror.
Other winners in the Un Certain Regard section are: Avenir Prize, Ryan Coogler for “Fruitvale Station” from the United States; A Certain Talent Prize: The ensemble cast of Diego Quemada-Diez’s “La Jaula de Oro” of Spain; Directing Prize: Alain Guiraudie’s gay erotica “Stranger by the Lake” of France; and Jury Prize: Hany Abu-Assad’s “Omar” of Palestine.
Panh told the Inquirer: “Totalitarianism cannot destroy our culture. Tell our countries’ stories.”
He shared with the Inquirer his advice to other young filmmakers in Asean: “Believe in your vision.”