Silvana Diaz of the Philippine Italian Association gave certificates to Venice film fest alums director Pepe Diokno, actress Angeli Bayani who represented Lav Diaz, and Francis Pasion. (Photo by JUDE BAUTISTA)

The late Marlon Brando is considered not only one of the best actors of all time, but also one of the most eccentric.
 
His best known ‘stunt’ was sending American Indian Rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather to the 1973 Oscars to refuse the Best Actor trophy given to him then. More, he asked her to read a speech that lambasted the U.S. film and TV industry for their alleged unfair depiction of native Indians.
 
Filipino director Lav Diaz may have been paying homage to the late actor when he was invited to the 8th Italian film fest which opened at Shangri-la Plaza last Oct. 16 and runs up to Oct. 21.
 
Asked to speak about his experience in winning awards at the recent Venice film fest, he instead sent actress Angeli Bayani [who is in his film “Death in the Land of Encantos”] to read his speech.
 
“The Board of Censors here in the Philippines banned my films---my two films that won at the Orizzonti of the Venice film festival. There’s nudity and sex, they said. Without proper critical viewing of my films by the honorable members of the Board of censors, they deemed the films not appropriate for viewing here in their country of origin. They banned other works, too.
 
“And lately, they have been encroaching on the freedom of venues like the Adarna Theatre of the University of the Philippines. I’ll say it again: Censorship is poison to cinema. Censorship is poison to the arts. Censorship is poison to culture.
 
“Censorship is a very feudal act. It is fascism.”
 
Diaz also summarized the history of Filipino film makers in the famed festival.
 
 “The Venice Film Festival or the ‘Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica di Venezias’ is the mother of film festivals. It is the oldest in the world. This tradition of mounting film festivals had its beginning in Venice, Italy in 1932. In 1952, the first Filipino film to compete, Manuel Conde’s ‘Genghis Khan’, exhibited in Venice. In 1985, Mike de Leon’s ‘Sister Stella L.’ was shown at the festival..
 
“And in 2007, my film ‘Death in the Land of Encantos’ competed and won Special Mention at the Orizzonti section of the festival. The following year, in 2008, my film ‘Melancholia’ competed in the same section and won the Orizzonti Prize.
 
“This year, Brillante Mendoza’s ‘Lola’ was a Philippine entry to the Main Competition, and Pepe Diokno’s ‘Engkwentro’ coveted two prizes: the Orizzonti Prize and the Luigi Di Laurenti Lion of the future Prize.
 
“Despite the dearth of our participation in the 76 years [of] existence of the Mostra, only six [of our films] films to date have had a very triumphant and respectable run.”
 
He praised the contributions of Italians in the realm of film.
 
 “Italian cinema has given us many of the greatest models and paradigms: ‘Open city,’ ‘Paisan,’ ‘Stromboli,’ ‘L’Aventura,’ ‘La Notte,’ ‘L’eclisse,’ ‘The Leopard,’ ‘La Dolce Vita’…these works are incomparable masterpieces. These works set the standard by which the greater aesthetic discourse in cinema will continue to be measured upon till cinema is not dead.
 
Yes, cinema will not die. We have Italian cinema. Cinema will not die--- we have Philippine cinema.”
 
Diaz also honored two film critics who were recently killed in a robbery.
 
“I will forever honor the memory of the great martyr, Alexis Tioseco…for the struggle toward a greater Phil. Cinema. Nika Bohinc will forever live in our hearts.. Again, mabuhay to the 8th year of the Italian film festival.”
 
According to Bayani, Diaz has recently moved to New York.