Brillante Mendoza’s ‘Motherland’ vies for Jiseok award at Busan film fest

Rocco Nacino in Brillante Mendoza film “Motherland.” Image: Facebook/Busan International Film Festival

Brillante Mendoza’s film “Motherland” was among the eight movies selected to compete at the Jiseok category of the 2024 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

The Jiseok category, as per BIFF’s website, is dedicated to honoring the spirit and legacy of the late Kim Jiseok, a senior programmer who devoted himself to developing Asian cinema. The films that will emerge as winners in the category will receive the Kim Jiseok Award.

“Motherland,” which revolves around the tragic Mamasapano incident in 2015, stars Cesar Montano, Ricky Davao, Gina Alajar, Epy Quizon, Mon Confiado, Marvin Agustin and Rocco Nacino, among others.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mon Confiado (@monconfiado)

Other films vying for the award are “Aimitagai” (Japan), “Deal at the Border” (Kyrgyzstan), “I Am Love” (Korea), “So It Goes” (Korea), “Traveling Alone” (Japan), “Village Rockstars 2” (India) and “Yen and Ai-Lee” (Taiwan).

The film festival will run from Oct. 2 to 11.

Prior to this, Mendoza bagged the Kim Jiseok award at the 2021 BIFF with his film “Gensan Punch,” which had its world premiere at the “A Window on Asian Cinema” section of the film festival.

The filmmaker also competed and won in several local and international film festivals including the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS), Gawad Urian and Cannes Film Festival.