MULTIAWARDEE Director Brillante Mendoza gives instructions on the set of the independent film “Lola.” CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—For an indie film shot in the flooded communities of Malabon City and the dingy, dead-end streets of Quiapo, Manila, Brillante Mendoza’s “Lola” has come a long way.

Eighty-five-year-old screen legend Anita Linda couldn’t believe that at her age, she could still win a best actress trophy from an international film festival.

“Oh my goodness! Who knew that our little movie would go this far?” she told the Inquirer Sunday.

Over the weekend, Linda’s so-called little movie, “Lola,” scored two victories in two festivals in Europe—two “triple triumphs” in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, and in Fribourg, Switzerland.

“Lola” tells the story of two grandmothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the criminal justice system. As one lola (played by Linda) struggles to bury her grandson, another lola (essayed by Rustica Carpio) tries to raise money to get her own grandson released from prison.

“Lola” won three awards at the 11th Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival held in Spain on Saturday: the Lady Harmiguada de Oro (grand prize), best cinematography for Odyssey Flores and best actress for lead stars Linda and Carpio.

Spanish victories

The news was relayed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer by Mendoza, who was in Manila on Saturday night.

“I’m very happy,” he said. “My daughter and I were just playing when we decided to check the Internet and saw the news on the festival’s website. It was in Spanish so we had to translate it first.”

In 2006, Auraeus Solito’s “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” won the grand prize, audience award and best actor (for Nathan Lopez) at the same festival held in the Canary Islands.

In 2008, Mendoza won the Signis Award at the Gran Canaria fest for “Foster Child.”

Mendoza, who won best director in Cannes last year for “Kinatay,” said he would proudly share this latest honor with his coworkers in the film—particularly, his two lead stars who tied for the Gran Canaria acting prize.

“They lasted long in the industry because of their dedication to their craft,” he said.

Total freedom

Largely due to the documentary feel of the film, some foreign critics who saw the film at the Venice Film Festival (where it premiered last year) had surmised that the two were real-life slum dwellers. “The critics were surprised when they learned that they were veteran performers,” Mendoza said.

Carpio told the Inquirer: “Our director gave us the leeway to inject our own distinct personalities into the characters. I owe a lot to Direk.”

Linda agreed: “He gave us total freedom. In each scene, I could feel his respect for me as an actress—he was always content with each take.”

Excited and thankful

Carpio said she was “excited and thankful” for the award from Spain—the first acting trophy for the 79-year-old seasoned character actress.

“I’ve been nominated twice for best supporting actress in the 1970s for Ishmael Bernal films (“Menor de Edad” and “Walang Katapusang Tag-Araw”) and I won awards for my work in academe and theater, but this is my first award from an international film fest,” she said. “I am happy to share this honor with Anita.”

Linda, who won a Cinemanila best actress award for “Adela” in 2008, said she felt daunted upon learning she won the award. “I accept all these accolades humbly. It makes me feel good that even in my old age, people still trust me and believe in my work.”
Take two

Hours after “Lola” posted a triple triumph in Spain, Mendoza sent another text message to the Inquirer: His film had won three more awards at the 24th Fribourg International Film Festival held in Switzerland also on Saturday.

In Fribourg, “Lola” won special mention, the Ecumenical Jury Award and the Don Quijote Award.

Members of the International Jury conferred a special mention to the Filipino film, “thus confirming the extraordinary talent of the director,” according to the Fribourg film fest website.

The Fribourg jury is led by German singer-actress Hanna Schygulla as president, with members Iranian filmmaker Rakhshan Bani Etemad, French critic Michel Ciment, Swiss media personality Patrick Ferla and Russian director Igor Minaiev.

Death, justice, poverty

“Lola” also won the Ecumenical Jury Award which is conferred by two “development-oriented” organizations—the Catholic group Action de Careme and the Protestant association Pain pour le Prochain.

According to the Fribourg website, “Lola” “best reflects the values of these two organizations.”

The Ecumenical Jury praised the Filipino film: “With documentary precision, the filmmaker transports us into a context that embraces the reality of death, justice, poverty and the quest for honor.”

Life in Manila

The film also won the Don Quijote Award from a jury composed of members of the International Federation of Film Societies (IFFS): Geza Csakvari, Christian Heinzel and Eric Schaer.

The IFFS members said: “In emphatic tones, transported by the personal drama of two grandmothers, ‘Lola’ illustrates the way life functions in Manila.”

“Lola” earlier won the top prizes at the Dubai and Miami film fests.

Today, “Lola” is competing in three categories (best picture, best director and best editing) at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong.