First Run Features (FRF) announced today that it has acquired U.S. rights from Paris based Films Distribution for Brillante Ma. Mendoza’s critically acclaimed drama, “Ma’ Rosa.”
The official Oscar entry from the Philippines, “Ma’ Rosa” tells the story of a poor family in Manila that sells drugs on the side to make ends meet, amidst the backdrop of police corruption.
“Ma’ Rosa” is directed by Brillante Ma. Mendoza from a script by Troy Espiritu. The producer is Loreto Larry Castello for Mendoza’s Center Stage Productions.
“Ma’ Rosa” premiered in official competition at Cannes this year where lead actress Jaclyn Jose won the Best Actress Award, winning over some tough competition which included Kristen Stewart, Isabelle Huppert, Marion Cotillard and Min-Hee Kim and Tae Ri Kim.
The film also screened at Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival and is currently in high demand on the international film festival circuit.
Firmly established as one of Cannes’ auteur filmmakers, Mendoza’s debut effort, “The Masseur,” wowed audiences and won the Golden Leopard Award at the 2005 Locarno International Film Festival. His 2007 film “Foster Child” screened in Cannes’ Directors Fortnight, and the following year, “Service” screened at Cannes In Competition. In 2009, Mendoza won Best Director award in Cannes for “Kinatay.”
As the most visible filmmaker from the Philippines globally, Mendoza continues to make films and documentaries that depict the lives of the Filipinos and the marginalized sectors of society and has cultivated an audience for alternative cinema in the Philippines. He is the first Filipino director to be honored by France with the title Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
In the story of “Ma Rosa,” Ma’ Rosa runs a small convenient store in a poor neighborhood of Manila where everybody likes her. To make ends meet, Rosa and her husband, Nestor, resell small amounts of narcotics on the side. One day, they get arrested, and Rosa’s four children are ready to do anything to buy their parents’ freedom from the corrupt police.
The cast includes Jaclyn Jose in the titular role of Ma’ Rosa; Julio Diaz, Andi Eigenmann, Felix Roco, Mercedes Cabral, Jomari Angeles, Maria Isabel Lopez, Inna Tuason and Baron Geisler.
“We are extremely honored to bring this film to American audiences,” said Marc Mauceri, Vice President of FRF.
“Brillante is an amazing filmmaker who has captured a powerful, edgy story and spotlighted a tough slice of life in the Philippines. With incredible performances from the cast, we couldn’t be happier to be working with our long time partners at Films Distribution for this project,” he added.
The deal was negotiated by Mauceri and Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, partner and co-founder of Films Distribution.
FRF previously released Mendoza’s 2012 film “Captive,” based on the real-life kidnapping of 20 tourists from a luxury resort in the Philippines in 2001. The film starred Isabelle Huppert as one of the hostages.
25 Buzziest Movies at Cannes 2016, From Woody Allen's 'Cafe Society' to 'Purple Rain'
"Cafe Society"
The last time Woody Allen had Cannes' opening-night movie was 2011's "Midnight in Paris," which landed four Oscar nominations.
"Julieta"
Pedro Almodóvar's 20th movie focuses on women, an approach that has led to many of his most notable films.
"Loving"
Five years after winning Cannes' Critics Week competition with "Take Shelter," American director Jeff Nichols is back with a true story of an interracial Virginia couple fighting unjust laws in the 1960s.
"American Honey"
One of three female directors (versus 17 men) in the main competition, Andrea Arnold makes grimy, tough movies; her first film set in the United States deals with a runaway teenage girl and features Shia LaBeouf.
"The Neon Demon"
Nicolas Winding Refn’s last two Cannes movies have been the very good “Drive” and the very bad “Only God Forgives,” making this horror film with Elle Fanning and Keanu Reeves a fascinating risk.
"Personal Shopper"
Kristen Stewart became the first American actress to win France’s version of the Oscar, the Cesar, for Olivier Assayas’ last film, “Clouds of Sils Maria.” Now she’s back (playing, um, a personal shopper) in a new Assayas film.
"Slack Bay"
Adventurous French director Bruno Dumont will be going to Cannes for the sixth time with this comedic film set in 1910; if it's like his other work, it'll be divisive.
A documentary made with the cooperation of living entertainers runs the risk of being a sentimental puff piece, but directors Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens have an ace in the hole is the acid wit of Carrie Fisher, who’s not likely to countenance a sappy look at her life with her famous mother.
"Neruda"
Before Chilean director Pablo Larrain unveils his Jackie Kennedy biopic with Natalie Portman, he tackles another icon, Chilean poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda.
"Gimme Danger"
Here's another icon: punk-rock godfather Iggy Pop, who gets the documentary treatment from Jim Jarmusch (who's also at Cannes with his fictional feature film "Paterson").
"Elle"
Dutch director Paul Verhoeven has made hits ("Robocop," "Basic Instinct") and bombs ("Showgirls"); his new film is a thriller starring Cannes regular Isabelle Huppert as a rape victim who stalks her assailant.
"The Last Face"
Sean Penn's fifth film as director, a romantic drama starring Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem, would likely be worth checking out even if it wasn't for the voyeuristic thrill of seeing Penn and Theron on the red carpet less than a year after their relationship broke up.
"The Unknown Girl"
The Dardenne brothers had a real movie star, Marion Cotillard, in the last film they took to Cannes, but now they’re back with their usual cast of unknowns and non-pros in this story of a doctor trying to discover the identity of a young woman who died.
"The BFG"
Recent Oscar winner Mark Rylance reunites with director Steven Spielberg for this Roald Dahl adaptation, one of the few Hollywood studio productions using Cannes as a launching pad.
"Aquarius"
Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho's 2013 film debut "Neighboring Sounds" was a small gem, raising expectations for his second outing as director.
"Dog Eat Dog"
With writer-director Paul Schrader (who directed "Affliction" and wrote "Taxi Driver") and stars Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe, the closing-night film in the Directors' Fortnight section promises to be combustible.
"The Dancer"
Johnny Depp's daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, plays Isadora Duncan in Stéphanie Di Giusto's biographical drama about Duncan and modern dance pioneer Loie Fuller.
"The Red Turtle"
Dutch animator Michael Dudok de Wit won an Oscar for his animated short "Father and Daughter," and now he’s the first non-Japanese director to have a film released by Studio Ghibli.
"Risk"
On the heels of her Oscar-winning Edward Snowden documentary "Citizenfour," Laura Poitras turns to another controversial figure, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
"It's Only the End of the World"
Xavier Dolan’s sixth film is his fifth to go to Cannes, and his second in the main competition after last year’s daring “Mommy.” By the way, the Canadian director is only 27.
"The Transfiguration"
A first-time director gets into Cannes with an American indie horror movie? Michael O'Shea did, much to his surprise.
"Sierranevada"
Two heavyweight Romanian filmmakers are considered strong contenders for the Palme d'Or; the first is Cristi Puiu ("The Death of Mr. Lazarescu"), with this near-three-hour family drama.
"Bacalaureat"
The other Romanian director in the main competition is Cristian Mungiu, with a small-town drama that comes to Cannes nine years after his "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" won the Palme d'Or.
"Mal de Pierres" ("From the Land of the Moon")
French director Nicole Garcia, one of the three female directors in competition, cast Marion Cotillard in her adaptation of the Milena Agus novel about a woman at the end of World War II.
