Zurich, 24 May 2017— The award-winning film “Ma’ Rosa” was screened to Filipino and Swiss audiences at the Arthouse Cinema Alba. Around 80 guests attended the event including Embassy personnel, as well as the film’s director himself, Mr. Brillante Mendoza.
The film screening was a charity event of M. Mondejar Steiner Foundation Inc. for the benefit of housing and schooling projects of victims in Tacloban City of the 2013 super typhoon Haiyan.
The Embassy commended the showing in Switzerland of Ma’ Rosa as a testament to the high quality of films being created by Filipino film makers in recent years.
Mr. Mendoza is known best for being the only Filipino Director to date that received the "Best Director" Award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. His film “Kinatay” won for him the Best Director Award during the 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival in 2009.
Mendoza’s Ma' Rosa is a 2016 Filipino drama film narrating the life of Rosa (portrayed by Ms. Jaclyn Jose), who owns a small convenience store but resorted to selling illegal drugs to make ends meet for her family. In the film, Mendoza also delved on the subject of police corruption and its consequences for small-time drug dealers. Ms. Jose won the Best Actress award at the 2016 Cannes Film.
Director Mendoza answers questions from the audience about the film
Ma’ Rosa after its screening in Zurich
Philippine Embassy personnel pose with Director Brillante Mendoza (center) and Ms. Minerva Mondejar-Steiner of the M. Mondejar Steiner
Foundation Inc.,together with benefactors and friends.
