PHILIPPINE FILM MAKERS

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

 TINIMBANG KA NGUNIT KULANG – LINO BROCKA; 1974

The story begins with a flashback to the past of a woman called Kuala (Lolita Rodriguez).
An herbolario (traditional/folk medicine practitioner) performs an abortion on Kuala, as Cesar (Eddie
Garcia) watches her. The abortion was a success, but when Kuala sees the aborted fetus, she becomes
disturbed. In the next scene, she walks in the middle of a grassy plain, and as the heat becomes more and
more unbearable, she becomes insane.
In the present, Kuala, now the village idiot, wanders about her Nueva Ecija town in dirty clothes and with
mangy hair. The townsfolk mock and deride Kuala, and she is pushed into a watering hole where she
almost drowns.
Bertong Ketong (Mario O'Hara), a leper yearning for female companionship, attracts Kuala with a rattle
and takes her to his shack in the cemetery. Junior (Christopher de León) makes friends with them, defying
the prohibitions of his father, Cesar Blanco, who is a lawyer and failed politician.
Junior asks Berto's advice concerning his problems with his eccentric teacher, Mr. Del Mundo (Orlando
Nadres), who has a crush on him, and with his girlfriend, Evangeline (Hilda Koronel), who flirted with her
escort during that year's Santacruzan. The jealous Junior left the procession and sought the company of
Milagros (Laurice Guillen), who seduces him.
The local Asociación de las Damas Cristianas (Association of Christian Ladies) is later scandalised to
discover that Kuala has fallen pregnant. She is forced to live in the custody of the pious Lola Jacoba (Rosa
Aguirre). When Berto makes a clandestine visit to Kuala, she tells him of his unhappiness. Berto tells this
to Junior, who resolves to help the pregnant Kuala make an escape from Lola Jacoba's house and lead her
back to Berto's shack. However, Berto knows she will be taken away and returns her to Lola Jacoba, and
promises to retrieve her after she has given birth.
Some nights later, Kuala experiences labour pains. She finds her way to Berto's shack, at which point
Berto rushes out to fetch a doctor. When the doctor refuses to help him, Berto takes him hostage but
repeats he will not kill him. As Berto flees with the doctor, the doctor's wife shouts for help, awakening
the townspeople who rush to follow the fleeing pair. Before Berto and the doctor reach the shack,
however, the doctor escapes and a chase ensues. A group of policemen come to the doctor's rescue and
shoot Berto. Junior sees this and is shocked; he holds Berto's dead body and weeps in the midst of the
crowd.
Junior then enters the shack where Kuala has successfully birthed a boy, but lies weakened by the labour.
She becomes lucid, and in her sanity she recognises Junior and realizes that Berto has been killed. She
also recognises Cesar amongst the crowd, and asks him why he killed their child, revealing his secret.
Kuala then gives her baby to Junior, and dies. As Junior leaves the shack, he stares hard at the
townspeople, including his parents, Evangeline, and all who were unkind to him, Berto and Kuala. He
walks near Berto's corpse and stops by, as the people look on in silence. Junior leaves the cemetery with
Berto and Kuala's son.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON
TINIMBANG KA NGUNIT KULANG – LINO BROCKA; 1974
 MAYNILA SA KUKO NG LIWANAG – LINO BROCKA; 1975

Set in 1970, Júlio Madiaga is a probinciano (a young rustic) from the island
of Marinduque who arrives in Manila. From time to time, Júlio would pass by the
corner of Ongpin and Misericordia, as he stares at a peculiar building from a
distance. While pursuing his quest, he has to work in order to survive the
conditions of the urban jungle.
At first, Júlio lands a job as a construction worker. Not used to such labour, he
falls unconscious due to fatigue and hunger. In the site, he befriends Atong, a
fellow construction worker who was hired some five weeks before. Another co-
worker advises Júlio that city life is quite difficult unless one has the income to
enjoy urban comforts. Júlio begins to slowly observe the harsh reality of society,
even witnessing the accidental death of one of the workers.
One day, while Júlio and Atong are shopping for clothes in the marketplace, a
woman dressed in black and wearing sunglasses catches Júlio's attention. The
woman reminds him of Mrs Cruz—the woman who brought his childhood
sweetheart, Ligaya, to Manila for schooling. Júlio immediately runs through the
crowd to follow the woman, and locates her. He tries to approach her, but
before he could even say anything, the lady shrieks in distress. Júlio flees in
order to prevent making a scene, running back to Atong and leaving the
marketplace with him.
This was followed by other chance encounters with Mrs Cruz, leading him to
discover that Ligaya was, in fact, brought to the capital for prostitution. Ligaya
explains everything to Julio upon their reunion. Julio plots with Ligaya of their
return to Marinduque with Ligaya's baby. They agree to meet at Arranque.
However, Ligaya fails to appear at the appointed time.
Júlio returns to the house of a friend, Pol, who informs him the next day that
Ligaya had died in the night. She allegedly fell down a flight of stairs, but her
bruising suggests she was killed by Ah-Tek, the man who rented her from Mrs
Cruz and kept her and their baby imprisoned. Enraged, Júlio stalks Ah-Tek, who
he saw at Ligaya's funeral, and successfully dispatches his target. In the following
night, Júlio went to his house and he finally killed Ah-Tek as a revenge for the
death of Ligaya. However, after he finished him, a mob pursues and eventually
corners him; the film ends with a slow motion close-up of Júlio's terrified mouth,
just as his assailants are about to strike and before the screen fades to white, a
silhouette of Ligaya was shown.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

 MAYNILA SA KUKO NG LIWANAG – LINO BROCKA;
1975

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

Jun is a photographer
whose family estate is in
the countryside. One
day, he brings his new ITIM – MIKE DE LEON; 1976
girlfriend Teresa (Charo
Santos) to visit the
family. Psychic flashes
about Teresa's missing
sister pop into her mind
from time to time, and
during the visit to Jun's
father's house, many
more arise.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

After a nun becomes
involved in a labour
strike, she soon
becomes caught up
in the working man's SISTER STELLA – MIKE DE LEON; 1984
plight, and the
government's
inefficiency at being
able to provide for its
citizens.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

Two filmmakers
are obsessed
with doing a film
about Jose Rizal,
the Filipino
national hero. BAYANING 3RD WORLD – MIKE DE LEION; 1999
Their attempts to
clarify the gray
areas in the
hero¿s life lead
them to confront
the past and its
characters.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

Coinciding with a
total eclipse when
people believe that
the world is ending,
Elsa witnesses an HIMALA – ISHMAEL BERNAL; 1982
apparition of the
Virgin Mary on top
of the hill where as
an infant she was
found and adopted
by Saling.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

 ORO, PLATA,MATA – PEQUE GALLAGA; 1983

During World War II, two

wealthy Filipino families
escape to a jungle
hideaway, but the
violence of the outside
world soon begins to
creep into their refuge.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON


SALOME – LAURICE GUILLEN; 1981
PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON
A persistent suitor is stabbed to death by Salome, the
wife of a coconut farmer. From the simple crime of
passion three conflicting versions of the truth are
given - by Salome herself, by the people of the small
fishing village, and by her own husband. Each version
contributes a piece and facet of the truth, and slowly
reveals to us the real character of Salome and her
husband, and the true nature of their relationship.
The story starts as a seemingly simple crime
of passion, Jimmy, the persistent suitor, is
stabbed to death by Salome, the young and
prett y wife of Kario, an ordinary farmer. But
as the story unfolds, confl icti ng versions of
the crime are given.
TANGING YAMAN – LAURICE GUILLEN;2001

Three siblings - Danny (Johnny Delgado), Art (Edu Manzano) and Grace (Dina
Bonnevie) - are now well settled with their respective families, in widely
contrasting lifestyles. The one common thing that binds them loosely together
is the love that their mother Dolores "Loleng" Rosales (Gloria Romero) holds
for all of them and her grandchildren, albeit expressed in varying ways and
degrees, but always equally nurturing and self-giving. Much as they are held
together by her, they are in turn separated by physical distance and the sad
legacy left behind by their deceased, erstwhile strong-willed, patriarchal
father.

Long suppressed pains and resentments unravel as the three siblings argue
over the prospect of selling a vast track of land left behind by the patriarch.
The process also brings to surface the hurts between parents and children, a
likely spectacle of the "sins of the father visiting upon the children",
threatening to spill over to the third generation.

What stuff each one is made of faces its true test when the family matriarch, in
an act richly resonant with ritual Christian self-offering, yields her whole being
to the God of Providence and succumbs to a debilitating disease. Do her
beloved children unite, or do the frayed relationships finally break up?

The family saga is a stark and poignant dramatization of provincial values vs.
urban survival instincts precariously held in the balance by the abiding love,
hope, and faith against the gnawing disease of the spirit brought by cynicism,
materialism, and an unforgiving heart.

PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON

 JOSE RIZAL – MA RILOU DIAZ ABAYA; 1998
José Rizal was imprisoned in Fort Santiago under the abusive Spanish
MURO-AMI – MARILOU DIAZ ABAYA; 1999 colonization. Meanwhile, in Balintawak, Andrés Bonifacio and his fellow
secret organization, the Katipunan, commenced the uprising against the
Fredo
tyranny created by(Cesar Montano) tearing
the Spaniards by is a fisherman who has
their cédula as endured
a sign of more than
freedom from the Spanish slavery.
his share of hardship in life; his wife and child both perished in a
Soon, a firstboating accident,
lieutenant and today
of the Artillery, LuisFredo
Tavielapproaches
de Andrade,each
visitstrip to the sea
Rizal.
Taviel de Andrade did not waste time to study carefully Rizal's case.
with the angry determination of a man out for revenge. Fredo In
just a short period of time, Rizal and Taviel captured each other's
commands a crew of young people from poor families as he takes
sympathy and eventually became friends as they had usual meetings in
his rattletrap
Rizal's cell in Fort ship
Santiago. into was
Taviel the ocean in search
even able to of fish that live along the
celebrate Christmas with
reefs, snaringRizal
catchinwith
the cell where netting
an illegal they drank pan get
system. Notandall of Fredo's
sang together.
youthful sailors are willing to put up with his abusive arrogance,
After Christmas, Rizal and
however, was even
sent tohis
the Real
father Audiencia,
Dado (Penthe colonialand
Medina) court of friend
close
appeal, to hear the trial against him. Soon after, the magistrates decided
to condemnBotong (Jhong
him under firingHilario)
squad on have
thegrown
30th ofweary of Fredo's
the morning tirades. Fredo's
in Luneta.
body is beginning to betray him as well, and as he and his crew
At the night before the execution, Rizal hallucinates, seeing his alter ego—
protagonist,damage the "Simoun"
Crisostomo sea's reefIbarra,
beds in search
from of fish,book, El
his second no one is certain how
Filibusterismo,
muchtempting
longerhim to change
he will be ablethetoclimax of the novel.
continue.
On the morning of his execution, his kin receives a small alcohol stove
Maestro Fredo, a tyrant captain, fixates to claim the treasures of
(not a gas lamp as commonly portrayed) from his cell containing the last
the sea
poem "Mi último -- noStopping
adiós". matter atwhat, in whatever
the place diabolical
of execution facing technique
the for as
rising sun, Rizal
long requested the authorities
as he profits. He employs for him to face
dozens the firing
of men, squad,
mostly children, in
but the request was denied. Calm and without haste, he requested
his dangerous expeditions. Conditions aboard the ships are to have
his head spared instead and the captain agrees. At the moment the
oppressive.
shooting squad points atChildren
his back,are often overworked
he readily and his crew is furious
uttered his final
words: Consummatum
with the way est ("It
theyis are
done").
living. He blames the sea for claiming the
lives
In the events of his Rizal's
following family and he exacts
execution, revenge
members by plundering its depths.
of the Katipunan begin
their armed uprising, completely catching the Spanish forces off guard,
seizing their mounts, munitions and rifles. After that, the organization
captures a church and the members execute the friars in an act of
vengeance. Later that night, Bonifacio and his top generals meet in their
headquarters to plan a new offensive seeking to capture ten towns in a
duration of one week from the Spaniards. As Bonifacio continues
speaking, the camera pans to Rizal's picture at the wall of his
headquarters before revealing Rizal's hat which sat by the shores of
Manila Bay, concluding with the text of events that transpired after his
death.
PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON
 Ahmad (Cesar Montano) belongs to the Moro people . While many of his kind are bent on
BAGONG
fighting, BUWAN
thinking that – MARILOU
Mindanao is only for DIAZ ABAYA;2001
the Muslims, Ahmad prefers to live a simple
and peaceful life. He works as a doctor in Manila while his wife, Fatima ( Amy Austria), and
his only son, Ibrahim, stay in Mindanao with his mother, Farida (Caridad Sanchez). Ahmad
is shocked and devastated when Fatima breaks the confounding news. Ibrahim was killed
by a stray bullet when vigilantes indiscriminately fire at their village. Ahmad goes back to
where he came from --- Mindanao.
Ibrahim’s death did not cause Ahmad to stop striving to live a peaceful life, much to the
consternation of his brother, Musa (Noni Buencamino). His brother takes an exactly
opposite stand. Musa believes in waging a war against all the unbelievers who may
impede the Moro’s goal of independence. He even trains his young son, Rashid ( Carlo
Aquino) to a Muslim warrior’s life.
Ahmad wishes to bring his family to Manila in order to escape the conflict in Mindanao
but convinces no one, even his mother. Farida is apparently used to a life of constantly
running away from crossfire. His wife, Fatima, wishes to stay where the memory of his
son remains. Ahmad is now challenged to continue his life’s vocation as a healer in his
war-torn homeland.
One day, the MILF headed by Musa, together with Rashid, bombed a police station near a
public marketplace. Francis (Jiro Manio), a young Catholic boy, is separated from his
parents during the confusion and follows Rashid. Rashid grudgingly takes Francis with him
and introduces him to his co-villagers. Francis goes wherever Ahmad and his people go.
Francis and Rashid, at their very young age, find themselves prejudiced against each
other. The tribe leader was later slain in a crossfire between MILF and a battalion of
soldiers sent to search the missing boy.
Ahmad’s group flees the war by evacuating their village and looking from one place or
another for a safe haven in the hope of avoiding crossfire and finding a safe place to live
in. Ahmad, in his new role as the leader, discovers the pain and suffering that innocent
people have gone, and still, go through just because they find themselves in the middle of
a war they never instigated.
Ahmad learns more about his own people. He learns about how the government takes
them for granted. He learns about how the Moro, as a people, strive to fight for their
rights and liberty. Ahmad also learns that in his veins still runs the blood of a Muslim and
offers the ultimate sacrifice. He died in battle when Lt. Ricarte's men fired at Ahmad,
killing him and crippling Ricarte.
PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON
Near the end, Musa and Rashid joins the rebels, Francis returned to his parents, and
Fatima and Farida descended from the mountains to teach the kids what they learned.
The two met in Ahmad's grave for a last time before departing, for good.

MAGNIFICO – MARYO DELOS REYES; 2003
PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON
In a Philippine village outside the island of Luzon, one special boy changes
the lives of everyone he meets. Known to all as Magnifico, his nickname is
Ikoy, a child of an impoverished family. His father works odd jobs, his
elder brother has lost his academic scholarship (Miong), and his mother
spends her days caring for both Helen, a young daughter, who suffers
from cerebral palsy, and for her husband's aging mother, who lives
upstairs in the family home and has a diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
Magnifico is a sweet and well-intentioned boy, who is often berated by his
father for his stupidity, an unkind assessment for a child who is
considerably more clever than anyone gives him credit for.
Magnifico's world is filled with a cast of characters in need of his special
gifts of hope, of determination, of love. There's the grief-stricken man
who mourns for his mother; two feuding shop owners; the crabby old
woman who runs the mortuary; his elder brother, who has a crush on a
wealthy girl; his little sister, who wants to get out and experience the
world, but cannot walk; and even his own ailing grandmother, who
worries that the family won't be able to afford a proper burial for her
when the time comes. That's a pretty tall order for just one boy.
Nonetheless, Magnifico applies himself diligently to the task, concocting a
remedy for the mortician's ailments, playing matchmaker for his love
struck brother, industriously scheming to provide a burial gown and coffin
for his grandmother, and negotiating a wheelchair so he can take his
invalid sister to the carnival. Seeking nothing for himself, with his
undaunted dedication to bring joy to the people he loves, Magnifico
somehow manages to find just the right solution to fill every need. And
when the night of the big carnival arrives, his efforts pay off in spades.
Magnifico attempts to cross the street and instead gets fatally hit by a car
one afternoon. Gerry, Edna, and Lola Magda mourn for their loss, and
their rested in the coffin he has originally crafted and intended for his
grandmother. At his interment, Magnifico's family, friends, and the people
he has touched were present as the community share a tearful moment
for his undying generosity.
KINATAY, THE EXECUTION OF P – BRILLIANTE MENDOZA Newly-wedded Criminology student Peping receives a text message from his friend Abyong. He
PRINCE FERNANDO C. RULLAN 10-NEWTON
says they need to meet at Luneta Park that night. At the park, Peping passes to Abyong drug
money collected by a balut vendor, but Abyong informs Peping that Kap (or Vic) requires his
presence for another "operation". Peping reluctantly agrees and they enter a van parked
nearby. He asks Abyong what they are up to but Abyong offers little details.
They stop by a night club and Sarge calls for Madonna (or Gina), claiming Kap wants to see her
in the van. Inside the van, Madonna gives an alibi to Kap about a certain Franco but is abruptly
beaten and restrained with duct tape. As the van is about to enter the NLEX tollway, Kap calls
an unidentified boss who orders them to put down Madonna. Sarge and Chico beat her
unconscious and the group believes she is dead. At the expressway, a police car is in pursuit but
eventually overtakes and arrests another driver.
They stop at an isolated house in a rural town and transport Madonna's body to the basement.
Sarge throws a bucket of water to find Madonna still alive. Outside, Peping learns from Abyong
that Madonna had a debt of more than ₱100,000.00 worth of drugs. Kap orders him, Abyong
and Rommel to buy food and liquor, as the unidentified boss ('Gen') still has a meeting. Inside
the van, Abyong tells Peping he also felt nervous for the first time, and hands over to Peping a
licensed gun; a gift from Kap and the "cure for nervousness". As they stop by a local store and
buy liquor, Rommel tells Peping to buy balut from the nearby bus station. Peping buys but
lingers around the area, eventually entering a bus bound to depart. His phone rings so he
makes an alibi of urinating and returns to the van.
Back at the house, Kap orders Peping to call for Sarge. Sarge leaves Madonna to Peping, who
discovers she has a child. Kap receives a call from the unidentified boss implying that it is time.
The men enter the basement room and remove the duct tape from her mouth. Madonna asks
for forgiveness from Kap but Kap insists that "business is business" and leaves the room. Sarge
begins beating her, but Chico stops him short and says he wants to "do something" first.
Outside, as Kap and Peping have a conversation, Chico rapes Madonna, whose cries are heard
by Peping. Sarge tells Abyong and Chico to find a bolo knife. Madonna is restrained and Sarge
gives the order to Chico, who stabs her twice in the torso, killing her. Chico chops off one leg as
Peping watches in horror. Peping is told to find a sack. Sarge is annoyed by the blunt bolo knife
and tells Abyong to find a sharp kitchen knife, which he uses to sever the head. Sarge takes off
his bloody shirt and washes in the nearby bathroom. The men transport the dismembered body
parts to the van and clean up the blood evidence in the room.
Inside the van, the men indiscriminately toss out the body parts at different places along the
way. They stop by a local eatery and order food. Peping enters the eatery bathroom and throws
up realizing what had just transpired. He heads back to his seat and says he had lost his
appetite. He asks Kap if he can leave. Kap tells him that he will get used to it, and hands him
some money for his baby's milk. A news reporter is seen interviewing residents about a severed
head found in a garbage dump. Peping rides a taxi home as his wife Cecille prepares some
breakfast while carrying the baby.