Loren Takes Pride in Taklub, A 2015 Cannes Selection
May 18, 2015Senator Loren Legarda today said she takes pride in Taklub, a film directed by Brillante Mendoza, not only for its inclusion in the 68th Cannes Film Festival but also because of the relevant message of the film, which mainstreams disaster risk reduction (DRR).
“I am very proud of this project because we are again showcasing Filipino talent with a cause. It is amazing how Direk Brillante was able to combine drama and advocacy flawlessly. Taklub will deeply touch one’s heart, at the same time it imparts a very relevant message about DRR,” said Legarda, principal advocate of the project.
Taklub, a feature film starring Ms. Nora Aunor, is part of the official selection under the Un Certain Regard section of the 68th Cannes International Film Festival. It will be premiered on May 19, 2015 at the Debussy Theater.
“Through this film we only wanted to push for our disaster preparedness advocacy so that the tragedy that Yolanda caused would not happen again. To be included in the Cannes Film Festival is more than rewarding because it also means we are able to push our advocacy to a wider audience and on the global stage,” said Legarda, United Nations Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific.
For his part, Mendoza, 2009 Cannes Best Director, said that doing Taklub was a challenge because it is an advocacy turned into a feature film.
“The challenge is how do we make Filipinos understand DRR because they are not really exposed to this kind of advocacy. The challenge is how to intertwine the story of the Yolanda survivors with the DRR advocacy without it being a hard sell. That’s why I am very happy that this advocacy project made it to Cannes,” Mendoza said.
Taklub tackles stories of Yolanda survivors and how they try to cope with the tragedy through faith, hope and letting go.
Amidst the drama, Mendoza was able to feature DRR measures such as early warning systems, mangrove reforestation, preemptive evacuation, and designating no-build zones.
“You will see the creative genius of an artist mainstreaming DRR and climate change adaptation in a feature film. The way the story was told was not so direct. There’s so much symbolism and it is very touching,” Legarda said.
The Senator added, “We hope that other filmmakers and producers would look into advocacy projects such as this, which is feature film with a message that not only educates but also improves how we live our life.”
Taklub is the latest collaboration of Legarda and Mendoza following several documentaries such as Buhos, Ligtas, Philippine Marine Biodiversity, and Antique: Coral Restoration Program.
The film was produced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in cooperation with the Presidential Communications Operations Office-Philippine Information Agency (PCOO-PIA).