The film of noted Filipino film director Lav Diaz entitled Mula sa Kung Ano Ang Noon won the top prize, Pardo d’ Oro (Golden Leopard), in the 67th Locarno Film Festival. The film, 338 minutes long and in black and white, was about the childhood memories of Lav Diaz, two years prior to the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines in 1972.
Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Leslie Baja, who met in Locarno with Lav Diaz and his delegation which included Evelyn Vargas, Perry Dizon, Kim Perez, Lir dela Cruz and Hazel Orencio, said that this is a great honor for the Philippines since this is the first time a Philippine film was entered in the international competition. Lav Diaz was the President of the Jury of the 2013 Locarno Film Festival.
In an interview by the film organizers after winning the grand prize, Lav Diaz dedicated his win to his father who introduced him to cinema and to the Filipino people.
Locarno, located in the Swiss Canton of Ticino, has hosted the film festival since 1946 and ranks in prestige after Cannes and Venice. Known as a festival of discovery, it has discovered new trends in filmmaking and launched careers of directors and actors. In 2005, the film of Filipino director Brillante Mendoza Masahista won the best picture in the video category of the Locarno film festival. Mendoza also served as one of the jury in 2009.
Filipinos in Ticino were overjoyed with the win of Lav Diaz as they were very supportive of the Philippine delegation in the festival. END
