Sophie Rose T.

Crisostomo FIN221

“Ganito Kami Noon… Paano Kayo Ngayon”

A film by Mike De Leon
REFLECTION PAPER

Mike De Leon directed the immensely acknowledged Filipino film "Ganito Kami
Noon... Paano Kayo Ngayon..." The film depicts Filipino culture and the
nation's attempts to define itself in the context of political and social crises.
Starting with different known artists in the industry of entertainment,
Christopher De Leon, and Gloria Diaz. Relevantly to the nature of
modernization in the present situation, it is not far to contemplate and dig
thoroughly into what we have today.

The film covers the life journey of a young boy named Kulas, running to the
Beginning, it portrayed a young boy, who is lost in his footsteps, as a means
of looking for betterment in his life. He bumps into this group of individuals,
Firstly is Padre Gil and a company of individuals who are into entertainment,
where he met Diding, who dreams to be known actress someday, this comes
along with the phrase of Diding ”Kuntento ka na ba sa buhay mo ngayon?” In
a simple context, there are immense thoughts that there is something that is
needed to be changed. That continues when he finds work at a radio station
and begins to explore its different aspects and inconsistency. He experiences
individuals from many walks of life along his path, each with their own stories
and problems.

The film is a reflection of the changing times, from the pre-World War II era,
how laborious and strenuous life was after the post-war period when the
Filipinos finally end the war with the Spaniards, following the Marcos era. It
narrates the struggles of different individuals during these times, how freedom
of living was taken away from someone in the whole country, the social
injustices, and the political unrest. With the facing truth of today, this movie
still lingers in our society, the difficulty to live as a powerless being, that you
are just part of it but never been belong or heard.

The film is also an analysis of the development of Filipino identity as time

passes. It points out the conflicts between cultures and We can't deny the
effect of Western culture on the Filipino manner of life. The film directed by
Mike Deleon "Ganito Kami Noon... Paano Kayo Ngayon..." has its own voice
to be a significant, profound expression of each Filipino’s history, culture, and
identity.