A Franco-Spanish history of cinema
On January 13, 1897, cinema arrived in the capital with the screening of Espectaculo Scientifico at the Pertierra Salon in Manila. A few months later, it was the Lumière brothers' turn to conquer the country with their productions, which were brought to Manila by a Spanish soldier. In his suitcases, he carried 30 films, with the firm intention of establishing a cinema in the archipelago, despite the looming war. At the time, the town's one and only cinema, now defunct, was located on the corner of Escolta Street and San Jacinto. During the 1910s, international filmmakers and operators scoured the country, capturing the reality of the new American occupation. It was in 1919 that José Nepomuceno, known as the founding father of Philippine cinema, made his first film. Dalagang Bukid or The Country Girl tells the story of a young woman forced to marry a rich old man, while in love with a penniless young student. Now lost, the film is still considered an achievement in the country's cinematic history, and its success in the early 1920s set the standard for future productions. It was also Nepomuceno who, in 1933, produced the first fully soundtracked film, The Golden Dagger. However, this was not the country's very first sound film, that title going to L'Aswang (1930), a work in Tagalog directly inspired by the horrific legends of the eponymous monster, well known in Philippine mythology.
World War II and the Japanese occupation brought national production to a halt, but it picked up again in the aftermath of the conflict. This first golden age began in 1948, with the films Timbu Mata (1948), Leonora (1951) and Princess Tirana (1951), all shot in Visayan. It was also at this time that the duo Mat Ranillo and Gloria Sevilla gained popularity with huge national hits such as Utlanan (The Border, 1952) and Carmen (adapted from a radio play in 1953). Tagalog cinema was not to be outdone, with numerous productions focusing on rural and social issues. It was during this period that Philippine cinema gained its first worldwide recognition, as Manuel Conde's Genghis Khan (1952) was selected for Venice and then Cannes.
The 1960s saw a decline in the quality of national productions, which tended to focus on profit-making through Hollywood remakes of little aesthetic interest. But filmmakers like Gerardo de Leon continued to make quality films, such as this new adaptation of the best-selling novel Noli Me Tángere(Forget Me Not), which was awarded the Best Film statuette at the 10th FAMAS, the Philippine film awards ceremony, in 1961.
With the establishment of President Marcos' dictatorship, censorship took hold in the country. Many artists nevertheless managed to work, and contributed to a second golden age of national cinema. Among them, filmmaker Marilou Diaz-Abaya (1955-2012) made her first film Tanikala(Chains) in 1980, followed by Brutal the same year. Her works are fiercely critical of the dictatorial regime of the time, and this social as well as militant aspect runs through all her work, the best-known of which is undoubtedly the biopic José Rizal (1999), national hero of the struggle against the Spanish.
Today, Philippine cinema is supported by a powerful film commission, which helps domestic production while attracting international film shoots. Every year since 1975, Manila has hosted the Metro Manila Film Festival, a showcase for national talent in an increasingly diverse range of genres. Artists such as Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz and Sean Ellis contribute to the international renown of Philippine cinema, with works such as Taklub (2015), The Woman who left (2015), and Metro Manila (2013), all of which won awards at major European festivals.
Notable international shoots
Anyone who knows Francis Ford Coppola will be familiar with the incredible adventure that was the shooting ofApocalypse Now (1979), most of which took place in the Philippines, so much so that it was the subject of the fascinating documentary In the Heart of Darkness (1991). Not the least of the filmmaker's misadventures was the disappearance of the helicopters used in the film, courtesy of the Philippine army. As the helicopters were also used to fight rebels hostile to the regime, it was not uncommon for a scene to have to be postponed for lack of transport. A veritable epic, for a film that has acquired a cult following thanks in no small part to the performances of Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando. Among the film's iconic locations, you'll easily recognize Baler Bay, as well as the Pagsanjan River. In 1984, Chuck Norris stopped off on the archipelago to shoot Portés disparus (1984). An unsubtle but crisp action film shot in the Quezon and Laguna regions. Two years later, filmmaker Oliver Stone landed in the Philippines for Platoon, a new film set during the Vietnam War. The jungles of Luzon province are the backdrop for the adventures of Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe and Forest Whitaker, in this war drama that has become a must-see for fans of the genre.
In the late 1990s, the country was the setting for the thriller Bangkok One Way (1999), with Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale in the title roles, telling the story of two American women trapped in a Thai drug trade. Shot largely in Manila, you'll recognize iconic locations such as the Coconut Palace, the Fabella Sanctuary and the Cotton Club. More recently, The Bourne Legacy (2012), starring Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz, was filmed in the paradise region of El Nido. The perfect way to add a little cinema to your trip, between two cocktails.
