FRANCE – Filipina actress, Jaclyn Jose, joins the roster of international award-winning stars after being awarded Best Actress at the 69th Cannes Film Festival held on Monday at Cannes, France.
Jose was recognized for her role as a poor sari-sari store owner who turns to selling drugs to provide for her family in award-winning director Brillante Mendoza’s film, “Ma’ Rosa”.
In 2009, Mendoza was awarded Best Director for his film, “Kinatay”.
Deadline reports that “some onlookers scratched their heads over the jury’s choice to award [the Best Acress title to] Jaclyn Jose” with some critics saying they felt she was a supporting character, to which juror and actor Donald Sutherland responded with “It’s a big-time leading role and the critics are wrong!”
French director/writer Arnaud Desplechin also chimed in, “that scene at the end where she’s eating! Her performance broke my heart.”
Jose admits that this award came as a surprise. She competed with other prominent actresses including Charlize Theron for “The Last Face” and Marion Cotillard for “Mal de Pierres” or “From the Land of the Moon”.
In her speech, Jose nervously addressed the Cannes audience, “I don’t know what to say. I am so surprised. I’m just here to walk the red carpet with my daughter who was also in the movie. Thank you to Cannes, thank you to the jury, thank you that you liked our film. Thank you to Mr. Brillante Mendoza. I was just following whatever he is saying. He is a brillant director.”
“I would also like to share this award to all the Filipinos who are here right now, to my daughter [Andi Eigenmann], to Brillante, to my countrymen, to the Philippines.”
Jose has starred in a number of Philippine soap operas including Mula sa Puso, Hiram, Sabel, My Husband’s Lover and more.
Photo courtesy: Festival de Cannes
