Hayden-Katrina face-off still leaves main issue unanswered

Brillante Mendoza’s success at the recent Cannes Festival bodes well for the country’s fledgling digital video industry.

Mendoza almost exclusively works with digital video. It is his medium of choice. He shot his first digital work, Masahista, when he was 45. He has since built up an impressive body of work which includes Kaleldra and Foster Child.

He belongs to the emerging group of young filmmakers struggling to remain true to their craft and have not yet succumbed to the siren song of commercialism.

Slowly, these intrepid filmmakers are beginning to attract the attention of movie buffs who flock to independent film festivals like Cinemalaya, which is on its fifth year.

Brillante did what no other Filipino has done: Win an award at the prestigious Palme d’Or award for Best Director at Cannes.

Lino Brocka had come close, with Insiang and Jaguar about three decades ago, but fell short.

Mendoza had joined the filmfest the previous year with Serbis, but didn’t make it. This year, he was back, ranged against such big names as Quentin Tarantino and Ang Lee. In the end, the Pinoy bested them all.

Did you know that there were other Filipinos who participated at Cannes? Entered in the Un Certain Regard section was Independencia” of Raya Martin. Fil-American director Janice Perez toted her work, Sabongero, while Manong Maong of Aissa Peñafiel and Miguel Ocampo competed in the animated short film category.

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Baron Geisler has been yanked out of the soap on GMA-7 where he stars with Yasmien Kurdi, according to Yasmien’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio.

That’s because the actress is still traumatized by the alleged inappropriate advances of Baron at the set of Suspetsa. She has filed charges of acts of lasciviousness and unjust vexation against her co-star, claiming he sexually harassed her with “inappropriate words,” including “four-letter words,” “inappropriate touching,” and “voyeurism.”

The lawyer said the network was doing everything to prevent another encounter between the two stars. He added that Baron’s advances were witnessed by fellow stars Jennylyn Mercado and Nadine Samonte.

I admire Baron for being a brilliant actor. But this is not the first time he has been denounced for uncouth behavior, especially when he’s had one drink too many. It’s about time he learns how to hold his liquor or seek professional help.

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Sex, Lies and Videotape should be an appropriate title for the proceedings last week at the Senate investigation of the video featuring Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili.

The two came face to face in public for the first time since the scandal over the video boiled over. The hearing had its tense moment when former policeman Abner Afuang doused water on the seated Hayden. The man was promptly hauled off and an incensed Sen. Jamby Madrigal, who was presiding at the hearing, ordered that he be charged.

When order was restored both Hayden and Halili were given a chance to make their statements. The cosmetic doctor went first, recounting his version of how the video came about. Hayden reiterated that he was under the influence of the designer drug ecstacy during the time the video was shot, and that it was Katrina who persuaded him to take the drug. Katrina read from a prepared statement, trying to hold back tears. She emphasized that the issue is not about drugs but about sexual exploitation.

Later she vehemently denied that she gave drugs to Hayden. “Kapal ng mukha mo!” she burst out at Hayden at one point, forcing a brief suspension of the proceedings.

And what about Dr. Vicki Belo? She preferred to stay away from the hearing, sending instead her lawyer to read her statement.

The hearing ended without an answer to the key question: Who leaked the videos? Tune in next week, when the inquiry resumes.