2009 Cannes Film Festival Best Director Brillante Mendoza was at the Director’s Club Cinema of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines on July 21, 2017 to attend the press conference for “Brillante Mendoza Presents: Kadaugan.” One of the questions asked by the press during the event was the upcoming state of the nation address of Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Republic of the Philippines.
Duterte delivered his first SONA in 2016. It was directed by Mendoza, who thereafter received mixed reactions due to the use of camera angles that the mainstream Filipino audience was not used to.
Amid the controversy, Malacañang praised Mendoza’s direction of Duterte’s first SONA. In fact, the Office of the President tapped the director again to direct Duterte’s second SONA on July 24, 2017.
When asked about Duterte’s SONA 2017 during the “Brillante Mendoza Presents: Kadaugan” press conference, Mendoza pointed out that it is not a film but an annual event involving the president’s speech to the nation, which means the focus of the audience should be on the President’s message and not on other things including the direction behind it. The director wanted to make sure that the Filipinos receive Duterte’s message clearly.
Meanwhile, “Brillante Mendoza Presents: Kadaugan” is set to air on July 30, 2017 at 10:30 p.m. on TV5. The film made for TV directed by Mendoza stars Dionne Monsanto, Daniel Marsh, Gloria Sevilla, Matt Daclan, Suzette Ranillo and Keanna Reeves, among others.
“Brillante Mendoza Presents: Kadaugan” was written by Eero Francisco with Armando “Bing” Lao as the creative consultant. It is set in Cebu and features the festival of Kadaugan sa Mactan.
Here is a clip featuring Mendoza’s preparation for Duterte’s SONA 2017:
CONAN Daily 