The first Filipino winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, Brillante Mendoza has courted controversy throughout his career. Exploring widespread social inequality and corruption in Manila with unflinching insight, he deftly switches between compassionate character studies and extreme provocations. His filmography may be tonally diverse, yet it is unified by cinematography that forges a rare intimacy with its characters. Mendoza’s handheld camera trails the films’ leads like a shadow, maximizing suspense as well as empathy through long, unbroken takes. Immersively capturing the noisy capital, those same methods make the disorder of the metropolis dizzying but thrilling. While the consequences of social injustice may enervate Mendoza’s soul-searching protagonists, they persist, moving through the bustling city and all its enthralling chaos.

<p>The first Filipino winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, Brillante Mendoza has courted controversy throughout his career. Exploring widespread social inequality and corruption in Manila with unflinching insight, he deftly switches between compassionate character studies and extreme provocations. His filmography may be tonally diverse, yet it is unified by cinematography that forges a rare intimacy with its characters. Mendoza&#8217;s handheld camera trails the films&#8217; leads like a shadow, maximizing suspense as well as empathy through long, unbroken takes. Immersively capturing the noisy capital, those same methods make the disorder of the metropolis dizzying but thrilling. While the consequences of social injustice may enervate Mendoza&#8217;s soul-searching protagonists, they persist, moving through the bustling city and all its enthralling chaos.</p>

Bright Lights, Dark City: Two by Brillante Mendoza

BRIGHT LIGHTS, DARK CITY: TWO BY BRILLANTE MENDOZA

The first Filipino winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, Brillante Mendoza unflinchingly explores social inequality and corruption in Manila. Deftly switching between compassion and extreme provocation, his diverse filmography is unified by a rare intimacy with his soul-searching characters.

<p>The first Filipino winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, Brillante Mendoza unflinchingly explores social inequality and corruption in Manila. Deftly switching between compassion and extreme provocation, his diverse filmography is unified by a rare intimacy with his soul-searching characters.</p>