Quentin's Presence in a Pedicab!

Last week, Egay brought rains to the country. Schools didn't have classes. Many, like me, where working from home while Quentin Tarantino made his presence felt to many aspiring filmmakers during the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival.

While the Lifetime Achievement Award he received from the festival made the news, his pedicab ride through Manila’s flooded streets made the front pages of many newspapers last Wednesday. This pedicab brought him to Malacanang Palace to receive a film award from Pres. Macapagal.

The 44-year old director, wearing a traditional Filipino formal shirt and sandals, had been stuck in traffic for about 2 1/2 hours on a bridge near the presidential palace. Filipino filmmaker “Tikoy” Aguiluz provided the solution out of the traffic. Pedicabs. Within 15 minutes later, both filmmakers were near the palace gates where a car picked them up. (Photo courtesy of Phil.Daily Inquirer)

"It was a lot of fun. It's the way it is, I guess. ... It was wild," he told reporters. "No worries. I've done more serious things than that."

While in Manila, got to meet Eddie Romero during a film forum. He also says that he is a huge fan of the late National Artist Gerry de Leon. “I’m a huge, huge fan…” he told film students. His exposure and experience will help shape the book on Filipino movies he is writing called “Bamboo Gods, Iron Men and Wonder Women.”

The film director, actor and screenwriter’s presence has surely inspired many young independent (and even mainstream) Filipino filmmakers. I just hope that all that inspiration help bring back quality films, like those done by Lino Brocka and Mike de Leon.

Now, I would like to watch "Kill Bill 2" again, which Chief and I last saw in Vietnam!