Best Actress went to the Philippines’ Jaclyn Jose for her role in Brillante Mendoza’s Ma’Rosa.
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She becomes the first Filipino and the first Southeast Asian who wins a Best Actress award at the 69th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, May 22.
Jose beats several Hollywood actresses and front-runners Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron, Ruth Negga, Isabelle Huppert, and Kristen Stewart.
Her category is described as ‘hotly-contested race’ because of strong performances from the contenders.
I don’t know what to say. I just went through having a red carpet walk with my daughter, my real life daughter and my daughter in the movie also,Thank you to Cannes, thank you so much. Thank you to the jury, thank you that you liked our film.Thank you also to Brillante Mendoza. I was just following whatever he tells me to do. He is such a brilliant director–a genius in the Philippines, and now, here in your country,To my countrymen, to the Philippines. Thank you so much, France, for loving our work.-Jaclyn Jose
Ma’Rosa is a story of a mother who has a sari-sari store that also sells drugs to make ends meet.
She and husband are captured during a raid.They are detained in prison while their three children who were left find money to pay corrupt police officers to free them.
Jose now joins the rank of other actresses who have won the Best Actress award at Cannes, such as Sally Field (1979), Helen Mirren (1984, 1995), Cher (1985), Meryl Streep (1989), Julianne Moore (2014), and Rooney Mara (2015).
Photo credit:FestivaDeCannes