Brillante Mendoza's "Captive" : Even A Choice Is Not An Option

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Captive is about self-preservation, about survival in the face of hardships and situations beyond one's control. Directed by the 2009 Cannes Film Festival Best Director winner, Brillante Ma Mendoza.

SYNOPSIS:

The story of Captive is adapted from the Dos Palmas kidnapping of two US missionaries by the Abu Sayyaf Group in 2001.

On May 27, 2001 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group abduct 20 local and foreign tourists from the DOS Palmas resort in Palawan and transport them via a fishing boat across the Sulu Sea to the island of Basilan.

On the boat, the ASG demand ransom from the hostages. One of the hostages arranges an easy transfer of the ransom to a bank in Zamboanga, the reason why the group makes a stopover in Lamitan City hospital en route to their hideout in the mountains. A bullet mistakenly shot by one of the ASG leaders at a passing military truck triggers a military assault on the hospital that lasts the whole day the next day.

Amid the firing, three hostages are freed after what is implied as payment of ransom. Four more hostages are taken from the hospital staff when the group leaves, even if the kidnappers release three others with orders to arrange ransom for their loved ones whom the kidnappers are taking with them in the mountains. Two are left behind after being wounded from ambush assault by the militia.

The first natural casualty of the kidnapping is an old Filipina social worker, who dies during the journey. Her companion, Therese Bourgoine, a French social worker, wins a score over the kidnappers when she succeeds in giving Soledad a Christian burial.

On the eve of Philippine Independence Day, the kidnappers beheaded one of the foreign hostages, a result of a failed negotiation with the government.

Finally, the military manages to stage a daring rescue. Only Therese Bourgoine and the missionary Sophie Bernstein are saved alive from the clutches of the Abu Sayyaf Group.

CAST:

Isabelle Huppert as Thérèse

Maria Isabel Lopez

Joel Torre

Mercedes Cabral as Fiancee

Sid Lucero

Bernard Palanca
Kristoffer King

Ronnie Lazaro

Mon Confiado
Baron Geisler

Raymond Bagatsing
Evelyn Vargas
Perry Dizon
Madeleine Nicholas

The film was screened in competition at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2011. Star Cinema will be distributing this film on September 5, with MTRCB rating PG 13 and Rated A by CEB.  It also got endorsements from National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera, F Sionil Jose and Senator Loren Legarda.

Brillante Ma Mendoza is a Filipino film director. He has directed sixteen films since 2005. He won the award for Best Director for his film Kinatay at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. His 2009 film Lola won the award for Best Film at the 6th Dubai International Film Festival.

"Captive"  is a film only proves Mendoza's ability to mount productions that are bigger than what he usually does.

In a Bloggers Conference held at Patio Carlito Restaurant, Quezon City one of the country's respected film makers, Director Brillante Ma Mendoza shared his experiences in doing this film. He also shared his realizations as an artist, director and filmmaker.

"It took a year of research before the film was shot. The Captive movie was shot in different parts of Luzon and the post production was in Paris. It took 25 back-breaking days to simulate the kidnapping and the experience of being held captive from resort to city to boat ride and up to the forest.

"We went to the camp nakita ko yung mga military. I had dinner with the generals and Muslim brothers, sa ganoong paraan ko pinag aralan yung buhay nila," Brillanate said.

"I went to Basilan kasi maliit lang ang alam ko tungkol sa Mindanao. Takot ako kasi baka di na makabalik. Nung nakasakay ako sa police car akala ko safe ako pero di pala. I'm just putting myself in danger," he added.

He said that the film has 200 members including the 40 actors/actresses like Isabelle Huppert, Ronnie Lazaro, Angel Aquino, Coco Martin,  Sid Lucero, Raymond Bagatsing, Maria Isabel Lopez, Mercedes Cabral, Kathy Mulville, Rustica Carpio and Timothy Mabalot.

In terms of philosophy, religion, government, marami akong realizations in doing this film. It has a bigger budget, bigger than Indie. Almost 40-60M Php in budget. Considering that he owns a small company, he realized he can make a big film "Captive."

"When I make a movie it's an extension of my soul."  Brillante Mendoza said.

Check these Captive Teasers in YouTube.

Run for the Pasig River 2012 Invades Quezon City

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Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, AFI Managing Director Gina Lopez (center) and Run for the Pasig River race directors and sponsors

This year, Quezon City will run for the Pasig River. Quezon Memorial Circle will serve as the start and finish line of the Pasig River Run on September 30, 2012.

At the press conference for “09.30.2012 Run for the Pasig River” this morning held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista thanked ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez for choosing Quezon City as the venue of this year’s race. He said that they have been working on relocating some families living near these rivers.”We don’t want them there because it’s not safe. Around 15,000 have been relocated to Rizal,” Bautista said. 

ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP) will be staging its fourth advocacy run to clamor for cleaner rivers and esteros in Metro Manila via “09.30.2012 Run for the Pasig River.”

Gina Lopez said  ”there’s no way we can clean the Pasig River unless we all work together.”

 Run for the Pasig River race directors and sponsors

Following the success of last year’s 11.20.2011 Run for the Pasig River, KBPIP is again urging groups and  individuals to join the eco foot-race, which will help raise awareness and funds for the rehabilitation of the waterways of Quezon City-San Juan-Mandaluyong Makati.

There will be three major event categories for the advocacy run: the 15K Ride & Roll with 4:00 a.m. gunstart; the 15K Commonwealth Challenge Run with 4:10 a.m. gunstart; and the 5K.

Morning Madness Run with 6:00 a.m. gunstart. This time, there will be one starting line in the Quezon City Memorial Circle (QCMC) going straight to Commonwealth Avenue then back again to QCMC for the finish.

ABS-CBN Foundation’s Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig has a track-record of organizing three successful runs for the Pasig River. The 2009 Philippine International Marathon: A Run for the Pasig River, which had an estimated 23,000 participants, helped fund the initial phase of rehabilitation of Estero de Paco, a 2.9-kilometer tributary of the Pasig River in Manila. The historic 10.10.10 Run for the Pasig River, meanwhile, broke the Guinness World Record for the “most participants in a racing event” with 116,087 runners. It helped rehabilitate the second phase of the Estero de Paco clean-up.

Estero de Paco (Paco Market to Trece de Agosto section) - Before 2010

Estero de Paco (Paco Market to Trece de Agosto section) - Current 2011

Estero de Paco (Trece de Agosto to Apacible section) - Before 2010

Estero de Paco (Trece de Agosto to Apacible section) - Current 2011

Last year’s 11.20.2011 Run for the Pasig River was the largest foot race joined by 86,547 runners, are currently being used to rehabilitate Estero de San Miguel and four other esteros behind the Malacañang Palace.

Estero de San Miguel (Mendiola) - Current (taken on June 8 2012 by Faizza Tanggol)

Estero de San Miguel (Nepomuceno Bridge) - Before (taken on 19 July 2011 by Faizza Tanggol)

Estero de San Miguel (Mendiola) - Before (taken on July 14 2010)

Estero de San Miguel (Nepomuceno Bridge) - Current (taken on July 10 2012 by Faizza Tanggol)

KBPIP’s seven-year rehabilitation program involves cleaning up all the esteros that drain into the Pasig River in order to thoroughly clean it. To date, the project has resettled 1,216 families to Calauan, Laguna, introduced remediation technologies for water quality improvement, trained community volunteers for the River Warriors program and shared sound waste management practices with communities.

The 10.10.10 Run for the Pasig River won a Bronze Anvil and an Award of Excellence at the 45^th Anvil Awards given by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, while the Estero de Paco clean-up earned an Award of Merit from the 2010 Philippine Quill Awards given by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines.

Registration for the 09.30.2012 Run for the Pasig River will open on July 16, 2012 in SM North EDSA, 2nd Floor Cinema C Lobby (near IMAX Theatre) and on July 20 in SM Mall of Asia, Lower Ground Level, Building A (near The Event Center and Food Court) and SM Megamall, Ground Floor Main Mall (near Music Hall and SM Bowling Center). Aside from the registration, there will also be merchandise available in the booths, in which part of the proceeds will also go to river rehab. For updates on this advocacy run, visit http://www.runforthepasigriver.com/.