Manila in the Claws of Light is 1975 film directed by Lino Brocka. It tells the story of a humble fisherman from the province, who decides to travel to Manila to find his lover. His innocence and naïve character proved...

The lesser known old films in the industry are the ones that talk about indigenous Filipinos and how they interact with the modernized world. A few films from the 50’s and all the way to the present have put this...

It was a few days shy from being the first feature film to be released in the Philippines, but it was the first to be produced in the country. La Vida de Jose Rizal portrays the life of National Hero...

Like many of Lino Brocka's films that focuses on the lives of those in marginalized sector of our society, Insiang followed this formula. It was the first Filipino film to be featured at the Cannes Film Festival in 78’. This...

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...