Tarantino takes pedicab through flooded Manila

Famed director Quentin Tarantino braved floods and ended up taking a pedicab to get to Malacañang Palace in Manila as heavy rains Wednesday caused huge traffic jams throughout the metropolis. Tarantino – best known for his films “Pulp Fiction" and “Kill Bill" – was set to go to Malacañang to attend a formal event honoring awardees in the recent 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival. The acclaimed American director arrived at the ceremony wearing a Barong Tagalog, the local formal attire, but which was mismatched with jogging pants. He had a pair of black shoes on. Running late for the 2 p.m. event with traffic snarled, Tarantino left the airconditioned car that was supposed to take him to the presidential palace in exchange for a bumpy ride in a “pedicab" – a bicycle with a sidecar, typically with a canopy. Radio station dzBB reported that Tarantino, accompanied by Cinemanila director Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz, took a pedicab near the Nagtahan Bridge all the way to Malacañang. As if riding the vehicle was not enough, monsoon rains induced by typhoon “Egay" and the floods left the director all soaked up. By the time Tarantino arrived at Malacañang, his matching black pants were soaked wet, forcing him to put on jogging pants. The event started at about 3 p.m. as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself ran late for the event. DzBB reported that Tarantino still made it while some of those who were also supposed to attend the ceremony failed to do so, as their vehicles were stuck in traffic or the sudden floods. Tarantino arrived in the Philippines last week to attend the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival, where he bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to world cinema and continued support to the promotion of Asian and independent films. The director, who says he is a fan of Asian cinema, said he would consider shooting a film in the country, if not something about the Philippines itself. The director added that he is currently writing a book about alternative cinema which will feature cinematic masterpieces by Filipino filmmakers. He said that he has yet to dissect stories about the Philippines, its people, and its culture, to be able to come up with a storyline he wishes to interpret on the silver screen. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV