Cannes Film Festival regulars Brillante Mendoza and Mercedes Cabral have recently reunited. The latter will star in "Brillante Mendoza Presents: Everlasting," the second episode of Mendoza's series of films made for TV.
Mendoza was in Baguio on Feb. 26 to film some of the scenes of "Everlasting" in time for the Grand Street Parade of Panagbenga Festival, an annual flower festival in the city. Most of the scenes of the film were filmed in the city on Jan. 31-Feb. 1 while some scenes were shot at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet.
"Everlasting" was written by Conan Altatis, one of Mendoza's protégés. Altatis is an Igorot writer who was born in Quezon City, Metro Manila, spent most of his teenage and young adult years in Baguio City and is currently based in Pasig City, Metro Manila.
The story of "Everlasting" revolves around two people visiting Baguio City to celebrate their ninth anniversary as a couple in time for the Panagbenga Festival. While in the city, their unconventional love story is challenged by a situation requiring them to make decisions that will change their lives forever.
Before "Everlasting," Mendoza and Cabral worked together in "Ma' Rosa," which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The film, which was also the Philippines' entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards, made Jaclyn Jose the first Southeast Asian actress to win the Cannes Film Festival best actress award.
Odyssey Flores and Diego Marx Dobles are the respective cinematographer and editor of both "Ma' Rosa" and "Everlasting." Including these two films, Mendoza and Cabral have worked together in seven films. The other five films are "Serbis," "Kinatay," "Captive," "Thy Womb" and "Sapi."
"Serbis" was Mendoza and Cabral's first Cannes film. It was the first Filipino film to compete at the Cannes Film Festival's main competition Palme d'Or since the 1984 film "Bayan Ko: Kapit Sa Patalim" by the late Lino Brocka.
When Cabral attended the 61st Cannes Film Festival in France for "Serbis" in 2008, she was voted Most Beautiful Actress who walked the red carpet. She beat Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz.
Mendoza and Cabral returned to Cannes Film Festival with "Kinatay" in 2009. It was the film that made Mendoza the first and only Filipino filmmaker to win the Cannes Film Festival best director award.
Starring Cabral opposite Aubrey Miles, "Everlasting" will premiere on TV5 on March 25, Saturday, at 9:30 p.m. It also stars Rona Mae Lallana, Hazel Thea Lelay Dobles, John Paul Duray, Myke Sotero, Emma Resurreccion and Ernie Olson Jr.
Watch a clip of Altatis interviewing Mendoza about "Everlasting" here: