Gilliw Ko is a timepiece when it comes to the preservation of Philippine film and to the manifestation of Filipino culture. Produced in 1939, the film was initially made as a musical, zarzuela. This film had its own radio theme...

Sometimes, one would come across a seemingly innocent old film and search for its deeper meanings. Sometimes, one doesn’t find it and just go into that “what on earth did I just watch?” state. It wasn’t because the film was...

Oro Plata Mata isn’t for the faint of heart. The film shoves its audience into the blood, gore and violence that war entails. It also explores naïve love turning into lust at a time of uncertainty and desperation. It dwells...

Manila by Night, a masterpiece of Ishmael Bernal, is a film that exposes the harsh reality in the lives of the underprivileged Filipinos. Some may recognize this film as “City After Dark”, a title changed by Former first lady Imelda...

There was a time when Philippine film was internationally recognized. The international audience were moved by how marginalized people from third world countries find hope despite their poor living condition. This was unintentionally pioneered by Lino Brocka’s films, which heavily...

Some may know that there is a stereotype in Philippine films. They say that films made in the Philippines look cheap compared to the ones they see from international films. This became apparent as western films got more attention than...

At the peak of its success, an unfortunate event struck the production company, Sampaguita Pictures. When a fire burned the production’s film equipment and set, reducing what was then thousands of pesos worth of resources into ashes, Sampaguita Pictures made...

Walking along the dim and murky streets of Avenida, Manila, can make one paranoid. Stories of late-night robbery and thievery now plague its streets. One would have to look around cautiously, while gripping close to personal belongings. But above the...

He may be a man of few words, according to his children, but he is a man of action. Efren Ongpin Reyes Sr. is an action star from the 50s. On screen, he’s known as a folk hero in Bandido,...

Standing at 5’0ft, Vilma Santos-Recto is one of the movers and head turners when it comes to Philippine Cinema. Be it from Filipino award shows, TV commercials, teleseryes, or newspaper articles, her name seems to be anywhere and everywhere.  Her...