It's evident that this year's Cannes Best Director winner, Filipino filmmaker Brilliante Mendoza, doesn't bow to pressure.
His gritty dramas such as the Cannes winner Kinatay ("Butchered" in Tagalog) may have earned him the title "gore-hound" and evoked extreme reactions among festival-goers, but the 49-year-old is unfazed.
Five minutes into our interview, he lets me on to a secret.
"Two years ago, I was asked by the Dubai International Film Festival director to take out some scenes which contained nudity and some dialogues that were scandalous from Slingshot [Tirador]. But I told them ‘I cannot do that and if you are inviting me then you should invite the film in its totality'. I don't edit scenes for a festival — it's unfair to the audience, no matter which country you are coming from... In the end they showed the film," says Mendoza.
"The tagline was funny, because it contained every warning: heavy sexual content, extreme graphic violence, coarse language — everything."
His battle is far from over. Today, after being catapulted into the international limelight with his win at Cannes, he is busy laying out his terms and conditions with the Hollywood studio giants, who are actively courting him.
"Yes, they are now interested in working with me. But I will work with them only on my terms. My first term is that I will be making my film in the Philippines. Secondly, I am going to choose the subject matter and thirdly, I am going to choose the production staff that I want to work with. At any point, they cannot ask me to tone down on the reality. Often, they find these demands too much."
American studio giants may find his demands cumbersome, but American film royalty such as Quentin Tarantino, who lost out to Mendoza at this year's Cannes, is impressed with his work.
"After the Cannes screening there was a standing ovation and when I saw Quentin Tarantino clapping for 10 minutes. I felt embarrassed. I didn't know what to do. It's not every day that you will ever see Quentin Tarantino clapping for your film and standing among an audience. It was very flattering," Mendoza says with a broad grin.
The indie director is more poised speaking about his Cannes success. In the historic win, he beat festival favourites, including Tarantino, Ang Lee and Pedro Almodóvar.
"Winning the award was very flattering, because these directors are an institution in themselves. They are known all over the world and for a filmmaker from a third world country it's all very encouraging."
That said, Mendoza is quick to add that the award hasn't changed him as a filmmaker and he has renewed his vows to make stomach-churning yet realistic films.
"It's not that I am trying to show the bad side of what is happening in the Philippines. It's not that I am choosing the controversial subject — I believe in trying something new and I believe in making movies that media or other filmmakers tend to ignore.
"I don't like making safe choices."
Mendoza is equally fascinated by the Filipinos living in Dubai. Asked if there were any such plans to make a film about this expat community, he admitted that the thought had crossed his mind.
Here again, he will make it on his own terms.
"I have seen several documentaries and news items about Filipinos living in Dubai and in Saudi Arabia. But when I do a film, I need to know deeply about the subject matter. I am just not going to base it on news items, I want to experience and see it all myself. I want to observe first."
Mendoza uncensored:
Do you think Lola (which is being screened at Mall of the Emirates at 22.00 tonight) was a safe choice?
"Lola was at the surprise film at this year's Venice Film Festival. There is nothing scandalous or censorable in Lola — unlike Kinatay.
"But I don't want to term Lola as a safe choice. I want to think they chose it because of its merit. It is unfair to think that the selection committee chose my film because it is safe. They took the film because it is good and it will be interesting to the viewers."
Do you think Lola (tonight at Mall of the Emirates, 10pm) was a safe choice?
"Lola was the surprise film at this year's Venice Film Festival. There is nothing scandalous or censorable in Lola — unlike Kinatay. But I don't want to term Lola as a safe choice. I want to think they chose it because of its merit. It is unfair to think that the selection committee chose my film because it is safe. They took the film because it is good and it will be interesting to the viewers."
