From birthday to breakthrough

May 23 ------ There's something to be said about celebrating milestones on your birthday, and for actress and producer Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde, there's no greater gift than seeing her homegrown company, Nathan Studios, grace the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival for the third year in a row, no less. 

This time, the occasion was even more monumental. Nathan Studios was among the international collaborators in attendance behind the Japanese art film "Renoir," directed by acclaimed filmmaker Chie Hayakawa ("Plan 75"), which has entered the coveted main competition slate at Cannes 2025. "I'm still in disbelief and absolutely ecstatic," Sylvia said from Cannes, where the film screened over the weekend. "When we were starting out with Nathan Studios, this was only something we dreamt of and aimed for — and now, it is finally here. All the hard work, determination, belief, and prayers have borne fruit!" 

"Renoir" is a poignant coming-of-age tale centered on 11-year-old Fuki, played by newcomer Yui Suzuki. As her father battles a terminal illness and her mother buckles under the weight of caregiving, Fuki turns to fantasy and telepathy to cope with the emotional turbulence at home. The film — a poetic meditation on childhood, grief, and escapism — is set in 1980s Japan and quietly unfurls through impressionistic visuals and subtle emotional beats. 

Nathan Studios' involvement marks a continued ascent into international territory. Co-produced with Japan's Happinet Studios, France's Ici et Là Productions, Singapore's Akanga Film Asia, Indonesia's Kawankawan Media, and the Philippines' Daluyong Studios, the film also has its international sales handled by Goodfellas. 

Sanchez-Atayde stands proudly among producers Eiko Mizuno Gray, Jason Gray, Christophe Bruncher, Yulia Evina Bhara, and Alemberg Ang. "This international collaboration creates a massive positive impact on the Filipino film industry. It gives a lot of hope to Filipino film producers to go to the global market — especially here in Cannes," Sylvia furthered in a statement sent to The Manila Times. Entertainment. "Malaking impact ito. The mere fact na three years pa lang kami nagpupunta sa Cannes as a producer, isa na kami sa nakapag-partnership sa international productions at nakapag-red carpet muli dito sa Cannes," she added. [This is a big deal. The mere fact that we've only been attending Cannes as producers for three years, and we've already entered into partnerships with international productions and walked the red carpet again here in Cannes.] "I am hoping for more Filipino film producers to enter the global stage, whether it is solo or in collaboration with other foreign producers." 

Notably, a portion of "Renoir" was shot in the Philippines, employing local crew and Filipino onscreen participants. This not only highlights the country's suitability as a filming location but also contributes economically through job generation and heightened global visibility. 

Now, Sylvia's hope is not unfounded, what with Nathan Studios previously premiering two films at Cannes — the psychological thriller "Cattleya Killer" in 2022 and the action film "Topakk" in 2023. As everyone knows, both action thrillers were led by Sylvia's son, internationally-awarded actor and newly re-elected Quezon City First District Representative Arjo Atayde. These early successes signaled Nathan's international ambitions, with "Renoir" marking its most significant step yet. Beaming with pride, Sylvia shared that early critical reception over in the French Riviera's cinematic capital has been deeply encouraging, calling the reviews both humbling and energizing for the entire team. 

"Deadline's" Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline described the film as "beautiful" and noted that while its structure felt scattered, this did not detract from its emotional impact. "It does not take a fortune teller to predict that Chie Hayakawa soon will make her masterpiece," she wrote. "Variety's" Jessica Kiang described it as "a slender but appealingly impressionistic story of an inquisitive young girl's summer of life, death and amateur parapsychology," drawing a metaphor between Hayakawa's stylistic brushwork and the French painter whose name the film borrows. 

Source: manilatimes.net