Actress Jaclyn Jose won Best Actress at the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival in France for her captivating performance as a drug peddling mother in Brillante Mendoza’s film “Ma Rosa.”
Jose now holds the distinction for being the first Filipino actress to win in the acting category of one of the most celebrated international film festivals.
She also joins the ranks of Hollywood stars who have won in Cannes namely Bette Davis, Sophia Loren, Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep, Cher, Sally Field, Rooney Mara, Julian Moore, Helen Miren, among others.
The winners were announced during the annual film festival’s awards night on May 22.
Jose, 52, beat other nominees Sasha Lane of “American Honey,” Isabelle Huppert (“Elle”), Elle Fanning (“The Neon’s Demons), Ruth Negga (“Loving”) and Oscar best actress awardee Marion Cotillard (“From the Land of the Moon”).
The multi-awarded Filipino actress, who started her career in sexy films, is currently seen in the GMA 7 afternoon series “The Millionaire’s Wife.”
Iranian actor ShahabHoseine won Best Actor for the movie “The Salesman.”
The first time the Philippines took the trophy in Cannes was for best short film for director Raymond Red’s “Anino” in 2000.
Mendoza also won the award for best director for the movie “Kinatay” in 2006.
“Ma Rosa” also stars Jose’s daughter Andi Eigenmann, Julio Diaz, and Maria Isabel Lopez.
Ken Loach, who won Best Picture trophy for the Irish film “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” in 2006, received the top prize this year for the protest drama “I, Daniel Blake”.
“Mad Max” director George Miller headed this year’s Cannes jury.
The complete list of winners:
Palme d’Or
I – “Daniel Blake,” Ken Loach (director)
Grand Prize
– Xavier Dolan, “It’s Only The End Of The World”
Best Director
(tie) – Cristian Mungiu, “Graduation”;
Olivier Assayas, “Personal Shopper”
Best Screenplay –
Asghar Farhadi, “The Salesman”
Best Actress
– Jaclyn Jose, “Ma’Rosa”
Jury Prize
– “American Honey,” Andrea Arnold (director)
Best Actor
– ShahabHosseini, “The Salesman”
Palme d’Honneur
– Jean-Pierre Léaud
Caméra d’Or –
“Divines,” Uda Benyamina (director)
Short Film Palme d’Or
– “Timecode,” Juanjo Gimenez (director)
Special Mention
– “The Girl Who Danced With The Devil,” Joao Paulo Miranda Maria (director)