The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Boy Villasanta
Internationally renowned director Brillante Ma. Mendoza will head the jury of the 2025 Cinema at Sea Okinawa Pan-Pacific International Film Festival to be held in Okinawa from February 22 to March 2, 2025.
Mendoza will evaluate the merits of all entries in the feature and documentary films submitted to the festival.
“This is an honor for me,” said Brillante in an interview.
The Philippines will once more dominate the world film stage by the mere presence of Mendoza as the Chairman of the Board of Judges at the 2nd Cinema at Sea Okinawa Int’l Filmfest.
One of the highlights of the festival is the special screening of Dante Mendoza’s sports film, “Gensan Punch” which tells of the story of a Japanese paraplegic boxing champ who trained in the southern part of the Philippines and won in the international pugilist competition.
Aside from judging, Mendoza will also speak in the talkback about the film together with the lead actor of the film, Shogen, an Okinawan, on March 1, 2025.
During the duration of the fest, a Philippine-Indonesian-Taiwanese-Qatar co-production, “Tale of the Land” directed by Loeloe Hendra will screen at the Pacific Film Competition.
“Tale of the Land” tells of a Dayak girl in Borneo who lost her father in a violent encounter over rights on their ancestral domain.