Film

and
Cinema
The Birth of Philippine Cinema
1890 – early 1900s
• Spanish era and American occupation introduced
cinema to the Philippines.
• Movies shown are mostly documentation of public and
private lives.
• 1898 – Escolta was one of first film documenting
Philippines scenes.
June 1, 1897 – when the first four Spanish movies were shown
in the Philippines.
- Man with a hat
- Scene from a Japanese Dance
- The Boxers
- The Place L’Opera
 Salon de Pertierra, established in March 1896 by a Spaniard
named Pertierra, was the first movie-theater house in
the Philippines. This theater was designed in preparation to Pertierra's
first movie show in Manila in time for the Christmas Season in 1896.
These films were shown using a Gaumont
Chrono-photograph projector (60 mm).
The first movie shot in the country
happened in 1898 by Antonio Ramos
using a Lumiere Cinematograph
imported from Paris:

1.Panorama de Manila (Manila

Landscape)
2.Fiesta de Quiapo (Quiapo Fiesta)
3.Puente de Espana (Bridge of Spain)
4.Escenas Callejeras (Street Scenes)
National Artists for
FILM
 Lino Brocka
 Awarded the National Artist for Cinema in 1997.
 Has harvested countless awards and
recognitions here and abroad.
 Directed the movie Maynila sa mga Kuko ng
Liwanag in 1975. The said film is considered
as one of the classics of Filipino Cinema.
His other films include:
• Wanted: Perfect Mother (1970), Tinimbang Ka
Ngunit Kulang (1974), Insiang (1976), Jaguar

• (1979), Bona (1980), Macho Dancer (1988), Ora

Pro Nobis (Fight for Us), 1989), and Gumapang
Ka sa Lusak (1990).
The Pre War Years (1930s)
• Stories originated mostly from theater and popular literature.
• Filmmaking was considered as purely an entertainment art form
designed to bring viewers to the world of melodramas, musical
and romantic fantasies.
• Talkies or talking or sound pictures was being used in the
Philippines.
 Ishmael Bernal
 Awarded the National Artist for Film in 2001.
 Considered to be one of the pillars of Philippine cinema.
 Directed the critically acclaimed Himala starring Nora
Aunor.
 Himala, one of the greatest Filipino Films of all time
because of its provocative and courageous depictions that
has served “as social commentaries and bold reflections
on the existing realities of the struggle of the Filipino”.
Some of his other famous works include the films:
 Dalawang Pugad, Isang Ibon (Two Nests, One Bird,
1977),
 Lagi na Lamang Ba Akong Babae? ( Will I Always Be
Just a Woman?, 1978),
 Isang Gabi sa Iyo, Isang Gabi sa Akin (A Night With
You, A Night With Me, 1978),
 Ikaw Ay Akin (You’re Mine, 1979),
 and Menor de Edad (Underage, 1979).
1940’s The War Years
• Darkest year in Philippine cinema .
• 1945 Philippine Film Industry was staggering and the entire
nation went through hell.
• World war II left scars on Filipinos
• Filmmakers started making films as expression of angst,
patriotism and nationalism (1945)
• Patriotic movies arrived (1946). Stories about heroes and villains
of the war.
 Gerardo “Gerry” De Leon
 The most awarded Film Director in the country for the
prestigious Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences
(FAMAS) Awards, the country’s equivalent to the Oscars.
 He finished medicine but did not practice it to answer a
calling in cinema.
 Ama’t Anak was his directorial debut, but his baptism in
Philippine Cinema royalt ywas in the film Ang Maestra
starring Rosa del Rosario and Rogelio de la Rosa
De Leon also popularized the following films:
 Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo,
 Noli Me Tangere,
 Sisa,
 Dyesebel,
 The Gold Bikini,
 Banaue, and
 The Brides of Blood Island.
 Fernando Poe, Jr.
 (Known as “Da King” or FPJ) has been given the title
the king of Philippine movies.
 Most admired Filipino film actors of all time.
 He is famous for his role as Flavio in the mythical
ang Panday series.
 Not only an exceptional actor; he is also a film
producer and politician as well.
 Declared as a National Artists for Film in 2006.
Other famous films:

 Apollo Robles (1961)

 Batang Maynila (Manila Boy, 1962)
 Mga Alabok sa Lupa (Dusts in Land, 1967)
 Ako ang Katarungan (I am Justice, 1974)
 Tatak ng Alipin (Mark of a Slave, 1975)
 Totoy Bato (1977)
 Asedillo (1971)
 Partida (Party, 1985)
 Eddie S. Romero
“delivered in an utterly simple style—
minimalist, but never empty, always calculated,
precise and functional, but never predictable.”
Perhaps his most recognized work, Ganito Kami
Noon… Paano Kayo Ngayon? Is Romero’s love
letter to his country, as it tried to portray the
common Filipino in the backdrop of history and
imagination.
 Another classic by Romero is
Kamakalawa, a film that probed into
indigineous pre-colonial Philippines. He is
also responsible for bringing an on-screen
adaptation of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere
in a 13-part series. The list of his films also
includes Aguila, Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi,
Isumpa mo Giliw, and Faces of Love.
1950s The Post-War Years
• Reconstruction led to a thriving new beginning for the Philippine Film
Industry
• First Golden Age of Philippine Cinema
• Big Four Studios were at the height of filmmaking.
• LVN Pictures
• Sampaguita Pictures
• Premiere Productions
• Lebran International
1950s The Post-War Years
• Films remained war induced realities.
• Filipino films garnered local and international awards.
• Films were fantasy and adventure, drama, slapstick
comedy, drama comedy musical and action.
• Stories were mostly adaptations from Komiks.
• Local Award Giving bodies were established.
1960 The Decline and Struggle of the
Philippine Film Industry
• Contract stars started building their own movie studios.
• The collapse of the Big Four Studios.
• Bomba movies were introduced
• Even foreign movies were action pictures sensationalizing sex
and violence.
• Movies were remake of other countries action hero movie.
• Movies became an extension of rallies, demonstration and other
forms of mass actions.
1970s
• Martial Law was implemented by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, which
ultimately suppressed freedom of expression
• Pres. Marcos put up Board of Censors of Motion Pictures
(BCMP) which stipulated submission of final script prior to
filmmaking
• The 1970s and 80s was the era known as THE SECOND
GOLDEN AGE OF PHILIPPINE MOVIES, the age of censorship
ironically pushed the making of quality and very emotional films
as the growing social unrest fueled freedom of expression
through the arts.
• Ironically, films became even more violent and sexual, in spite of
government censorship
• Proliferation of "bomba" and "wet look" movies, and as the new
genre continued, the term "bold" films was coined: "Uhaw"
(1970), "Nympha" (1971), "Ang Pinakamagandang Haypo sa
Balat ng Lupa" (1974)
• features daring works that portray revolt, labor unionism, social
ostracism and class division
1980
• The Philippines ranked in top 10 film producers in the world, averaging 300
films a year
• In 1981, the Film Academy of the Philippines was enacted, an umbrella
organization that oversees the welfare of various guilds of the movie
industry
• In 1982, the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) was created to
promote growth & development of the local film industry; it was tasked to
hold the Manila
• International Film Festival, manage the Manila Film Center and administer a
film rating and classification system; it was headed by then-presidential
daughter Imee Marcos
1990s
• Manunuri Nick Tiongson calls the 1990s the "Decade of the Dying Cinema,"
sandwiched between the 2nd Golden Age of Philippine Movies and the
advent of independent filmmaking or "indies"
• It was not a good decade, because aside from Hollywood competition, the
90s experienced the "Asian Financial Crisis"
• Most Filipino films were mass-produced, with quality sacrificed for
commercial success
• Storylines were unimaginative & predictable, acting was either mediocre or
over the top
• The 90s saw the rise of "pito-pito" films, movies that were shot in 7-10 days,
aimed at quickly recouping minimal costs.
2000 to Present
• Philippine cinema was considered "sick and dying" because of digital film
piracy; audiences would rather shell out P 30-40 for a pirated CD then
spend hundreds on the movie, snacks and jeepney fare plus exertion of time
and effort in going to the mall.
• TV became more popular than movies, which were now seen as an
indulgence rather than cheap entertainment. Even big movie stars
relegated themselves into doing TV shows because producers weren't
making much movies now.
• In 2003. the first digital film was produced ("Duda" by Chris Pablo), a gay-
themed film with limited budget but had tremendous gains; INDEPENDENT
CINEMA or "indies" were born.
• A rise in local film festivals, most note-worthy are CineMalaya (2004) and
CinemaOne Originals (2005), persuaded aspiring filmmakers to make
quality films by financing it and giving them incentives.
• In 2009, an independent production Spring Films led by Piolo Pascual
released the breakthrough hit "Kimmy Dora" (Joyce Bernal) which
unexpectedly did well at the box-office, an indie film with a more mainstream
feel to it, a different kind of comedy which was witty yet slapstick without
insulting the audience's intelligence.
"The recent vibrancy of Philippine cinema had led film
and cultural historians to proclaim a 3rd Golden Age,
after the 1950s and 1970s. You see the creative
outpouring in indie films and you realize that Philippine
cinema can't really be dying. It's on a transition. It's on
to something new."
• Film historian and critic LITO ZULUETA