Date post: | 21-Oct-2014 |
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Cebu Cinema
The Making and Unmaking
History of
Cebuano Cinema
Pre-War
“The Rise”
Pre-War Theaters
• Teatro Junquera– Cebu’s oldest theater having been established in
1895, was renamed Cine Oriente– Founded by Gen. Inocencio Junquera(1893-1895),
a civil and political governor of Cebu, Philippines– located at the junction of Colon and Osmeña
Blvd. – had staged dulaang binisaya, “Gugma sa Yutang
Natawhan” by Vicente Sotto( January 2, 19020
Pre-War Theaters
• Cine Royo– built by Pedro Royo from a former cockpit– cheapest theater in its time(5 centavos while
others charged 20 centavos per ticket)– Standing close to the corner of Colon and
Osmeña Blvd.– seats were uncomfortable because there were no
back support
Pre-War Theaters
• Vision Theater– established by Agustin Jereza– the only pre-war building now standing in Colon– 1938, first Cebuano talking motion picture,
Bertoldo-Balodoy was premiered here– hailed its status as the “Reyna sa mga Sinihan sa
Kabisayan ug Mindanao”
Golden Age ofCebuano Cinema(Years before the World War
2)
El Hijo Disobediente(1922)
• produced and directed by Florentino Borromeo
• a black and white silent picture that was one of the earliest noted films from the Southern Philippines
• The Disobedient Son in English
Bertoldo Ug Balodoy(1938)
• written by Piux Kabahar• Visayan Film Industry’s first "talkie“• starred Ben Zubiri, Iyo Karpo himself
Other Films Produced
• Gugmang Talagsaon(Rare Love), 1940 by Virgilio Gonzales
• Mini (Fake), 1940• Bulak sa Lunangan by Estudio Americano-
Filipino • Tanso sa Ginto
The War
As World War II broke out in Cebu in 1942, fleeing Americans bombed several parts of
the city. Fires razed buildings in Colon to the ground.
Post-War
“The First Resurrection”
2n d Golden Age of
Cebuano Cinema( 1 9 4 8 - 1 9 5 8 )
Theaters
Cebu TheaterKing TheaterLane Theater
Majestic TheaterStar Theater
Venus TheaterPremiere
Victor
PresidentEden
CinemaSuperamaCinerama
Ultra VistaramaSeven Arts
Films• Lapu-Lapu Pictures– Timbu Mata, 1948, starring Eva de Villa and Lino
Ramas– Damgo Ni Adan (Adan's Dream), produced by Rudy
Robles• Mactan Films– Tahas(Mission), 1950, starring Luz Celeste– Dakay; Mat Ranillo was in this film
• Barba Productions– San Tilmo; 1953
Films• Independent Picture– Balud(Wave), 1950 which starred Luz Celeste and Mat
Ranillo– Sa Kabukiran (In The Fields), 1948– Mapait Ang Balaod, 1953 (Arturo Blanco)– Bugas Mais (Corn Rice), 1953 (Arturo Blanco)– Pit Senor(Hail Senor)– Ang Siloy, 1953 (with Nora Hermosa and Rebecca Torres)– Huni sa Gugma (Where is Love), 1953– Dadansoy, 1953– Inahan (Mother), 1954.
Films• Azucena Productions(1951, Arong Familiy —owners of
Rene and Liberty Theaters)– Princesa Tirana (Princess Tirana), 1951 with Mat Ranillo
and Gloria Sevilla (her first feature title role after she was discovered through a declamation contest at the University of the Visayas) as lead players. Their first feature together made such a box office success in the Visayas and Mindanao that other features immediately followed;
– Leonora, 1951– Pailub Lang (Be Forebearing)1951– Utlanan (Border), 1952– Handumanan (Memoir), 1953
Films– Inahan (Mother), 1952, starring Mat Ranillo and Caridad
Sanchez– Antigan, 1952 with Virgie Postigo and Arise Roa– Carmen 1 and 2 (from the famous radio drama in Cebu),
1953– Paabuta Lang Ako (Wait for Me), 1953– Gloria Kong Anak (Gloria My Child), 1953– Gihigugma Kong Ikaw (I Love You), 1954; Mat and Gloria
then became synonymous to Visayan picutures, and since then were called as the King and Queen of Visayan Movies.
Films
• Cebu Stars Production (owned by the Tojong Family)– Dimakaling, 1952– Mga Anak Intawon (Oh, Poor Children), 1953– Kapintas Sa Kinabuhi (Hard Life), 1953, (Cebu
Stars Productions with Esterlina and Rebecca Torres)
– Sangang Nangabali (Broken Branches), 1953 broke box-office records in the mid-1950s
1950sFilm production went full-swing, which are usually reflective of Visayan life, culture and history like:
• Dumagsa• Prinsesa • Tirana• Heneral Leon Kilat• Sumatra• Paradista
• Kompas Lang• Siong; Mutya Sa
Saging Tindok
“The theaters were the lifeblood of Cebu City in
the past because entertainment alone
before is only in theaters. Wa gyu’y laen.”
-A Cebuano Journalist
Award Winning Films
Salingsing sa Kasakit(1955)
Directed by: Natalio BacalsoStarring:
Undo Juizan
nominated in the annual FAMAS Awards in Manila for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Director
won the Best Child Actor Award
Badlis sa Kinabuhi(1969)
Directed by: Leroy SalvadorStarring:
Gloria SevillaMat Ranillo Jr.Frankie Navaja
won the Best Black and White Film Award in the 16th Asian Film Festival in Jakarta and was entered in the Berlin Film Festival
Promising Names
• Gloria Sevilla– FAMAS Best Actress Award for the 1974 film
Gimingaw Ako– Queen of Visayan Films
Promising Names
• Suzette Ranillo– Best Supporting Actress Award for the 1974 film
Gimingaw Ako
The Resuscitation 1966 to 1979
• The Cebu United Artists Production– Gihandum Ko Ikaw Sa Kanunay directed by
Frankie Postrero (director), starring Gloria Sevilla, Mat Ranillo II, Tony Cruz, Caridad Sanchez, Elsa Corazon, and introducing Robert Villegas
• Bulawan sa Lapok• Ay Takya, ay Takya,• Ulan Udtong Tutok
The Scarcity
• Because of the scarcity in Cebuano films in the 1967, movies shown in theaters in were the likes of
– Tarzan Film Festival at Ideal Theater– Arrivederci, Baby and The Triple Cross at Majestic Theater– Double Man and The Cool Ones at Cine Oriente– Heroes of Dien Bien Phu and Tarzan and the Valley of Gold at
Victor Theater– Doctor in Cover and Reluctant Astronaut in Vision Theater– Alex Big Shot and Max Diamond at New Lane Theater– I'll See You in September and Valiente Brothers at Vitina
Theater– Operation Discotheque at Omega Theater
.
Ave Maria(1969)
– the first Cebuano film in color– produced by Don Manuel Enriquez de la Calzada
under the Enriquez Pictures– to raise funds for the construction of the San
Nicolas de Tolentino Church altar– the story was a trilogy about the three children
of a rig driver– Done in 16mm, the film featured Carmen Torres,
Julie Ann Fortich, Bernard Puntillas, and other new names that time in local filmdom.
Ang Manok ni San Pedro (1977)
• critically-acclaimed Cebuano film by the brothers Narciso and Domingo Arong.
• starring Tessie Diez, Stevan Escudero, Pacing Torrevila, Riel Ylaya
• was shot in 16mm film and converted to 35mm
Visayan Film Festival
In 1974 the Visayan Movie Producer's association led by then Governor Osmundo
Rama held the first film festival
The Decline
1980
• The local movie scene petered out and due to financial difficulties, film makers shifted to television.
• To make matters worse, Cebuano actors were lured to Manila where the film industry gave hefty salaries and national exposure.
• This diaspora included other film industry players like Chanda Romero, looking for better opportunities.
• Without a source of funding, effective marketing and distribution strategy; making films in Cebu became a non-sustainable industry.
• Local historians would mark this year as the death of the Cebuano film industry.
Cebuano Films Revived
• In 1990– Matud Nila– Ang Dili Kaniadto, Mahimo na Karon– Mama Maliya– Kalis
• In 2004– Panaghoy sa Suba, the award winning film,
although shot in Bohol, was recognized by some as a Cebuano film.
Award Winning Cebuano
Films of Today
Confessional(2007)
–7 awards in the Cinema One Digital film festival– 5 awards in the PMPC Awards in Manila–Best Feature Film award in the 2008
Cinefan Film Festival in New Delhi, India
Queen Raquela
– a film partly made in Cebu by an Icelandic production with a largely Cebuano cast and crew
– won Teddy Award in Berlin– won Lino Brocka Award in the Cinemalaya Film
Festival in 2008
Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria(2010)
– directed by Remton Siega Zuasola– based on a story written by Maria Victoria Beltran– starring Donna Gemino, Jeffrey Ogario, Eloise Danot
and Greg Teczon– won a grant from Cinema One Originals– won the Jury Prize at the CinemaOne Originals Film
Festival– won at the Junjeu Film Festival in Korea– won Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and
Music at the Gawad Urian Awards.
My Paranormal Romance(2011)
– directed by Victor Villanueva– starring Phoebe Kaye Fernandez, Van Roxas,
Publio Briones III, Paul Jake Castillo– won Best Production Design, Best Editing, Special
Citation for Directing in 2011 Cinema One Film Festival
Dili Ingon Nato(2012)
– directed by Brandon Relucio and Ivan Zaldarriaga– starring Mercedes Cabral and Rez Cortez– a CinemaOne Originals film which bagged the
Best Picture award during Macabre International Film Festival 2012 in Mexico City
– Official Selection of the Fantaspoa International Film Festival in Porto Alegre, Brazil
– Official Selection of the Rojo Sangre Film Festival 2012 in Buenos Ares.
Efforts
• A number of short films were produced by the Sinegang Collective, Sine Buano, Oddfield Productions, Dragon Productions and Panumduman Productions.
• Local universities started to offer film making subjects.
• Organization in Cebu have organized their film festivals. An inter-school film festival has also become part of the local film scene.
Binisaya Film Festival 2012
• a flagship project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Sub-Committee on Film and organized by Bisdak Pride, Inc. and Binisaya Movement, in partnership with J Centre Mall Cinema (Mandaue City, Cebu),screens the best of Binisaya Films every National Arts Month celebration.
The Sinulog 2012 Short Film Festival
• organized by the Sinulog Foundation Inc. in cooperation with Cebu City Governmentand Cebu Film Society
• a documentary and short film contest
Fortunately, there are some filmmakers, who strongly
believe that another resurrection is now
inevitable
Thank you!