PREVIEW: 2023 GERMAN FILM FESTIVAL

In collaboration with German Films, Palace Cinemas presents the 2023 German Film Festival with a lineup that includes several titles arriving in Australia direct from the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival (The Berlinale). Other highlights in the vibrant, 33-film strong program include a music-themed retrospective, a focus on female filmmakers and the return of the popular family sidebar, Kino for Kids.

Opening the festival is director Michael ‘Bully’ Herbig's A THOUSAND LINES (Tausend Zeilen; pictured, above), a true-life drama starring Elyas M’Barek and Jonas May as journalists caught in a fake news scandal involving a disgraced Der Spiegel journalist.

The Festival Centrepiece, direct from its Berlinale world premiere, is Ilker Çatak's THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE (Das Lehrerzimmer) featuring 'Babylon Berlin' star Leonie Benesch (pictured, right) as a dedicated, idealistic teacher who is pushed to the brink when she investigates a series of thefts at her new school.

The program strand Frauen Am Werk: Focus on Female Directors showcases German and Swiss women in film with eleven films from dramas, to documentaries and comedies. Frauke Finsterwalder’s SISI & I (Sisi & Ich) is a contemporary reinterpretation of the “Sisi” myth starring Sandra Hüller; the stylish biopic INGEBORG BACHMANN - JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT (Ingeborg Bachmann – Reise in die Wüste), starring Vicki Krieps, is the latest film by the legendary Margarethe von Trotta; IN A LAND THAT NO LONGER EXISTS (In einem Land, das es nicht mehr gibt) is based on director Aelrun Goette’s own experiences as a model in the German Democratic Republic in 1989; and, Saskia Diesing’s WWII drama LOST TRANSPORT explores the unexpected friendship between three very different women of diverse backgrounds.

Anika Decker directs Elyas M’Barek and Alexandra Maria Lara in the romcom LOVE THING (Liebesdings); Barbara Kulcsar’s Swiss box office hit comedy GOLDEN YEARS (Die goldenen Jahre) follows two retirees who must face their marital problems on a cruise through the Mediterranean; Emily Atef’s seductive drama SOMEDAY WE’LL TELL EACH OTHER EVERYTHING (Irgendwann werden wir uns alles erzählen) follows a young woman who begins a relationship with a charismatic middle-aged farmer; and, Birgit Möller’s FRANKY FIVE STAR is a quirky dramatic comedy starring newcomer Lena Urzendowsky as a woman inhabited by four weird but lovable personalities.

Also helmed by women are the documentaries in the lineup. Eva Weber’s MERKEL (pictured, right) is the astonishing story of how a triple political outsider – a woman, a scientist, and an East German – became Germany’s first female chancellor. And Cordula Kablitz-Post's FCK 2020 – TWO AND A HALF YEARS WITH SCOOTER (FCK 2020  -Zweieinhalb Jahre mit Scooter) follows Germany's undisputed techno superstars Scooter and their eccentric front man H.P Baxxter.

Music flows through this year’s festival with the sidebar retrospective, Music, Art and Chaos: A Sonic Transmission from Berlin. B-MOVIE: LUST & SOUND IN WEST BERLIN 1979-1989, from the directing team of Jörg A. Hoppe, Heiko Lange and Klaus Maeck, fuses unreleased footage and original interviews with pioneers Mark Reeder, Nick Cave, Blixa Bargeld, Nena, Joy Division and Gudrun Gut to reveal the story of life in the divided city; Muscha’s iconic film DECODER (1984) explores the disenfranchised youth culture, neon drenched visuals and urban industrial aesthetics of the early 80s; and, Klaus Maeck and Johanna Schenkel’s LIEBESLIEDER: EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN (1993) captures the renowned industrial band from 1980 to 1993 on the low-fi analogue equipment of the time.

Other centrepiece retrospective screenings include the Wim Wender’s angels-in-love classic WINGS OF DESIRE and Uli Edel’s CHRISTIANE F., remastered in 4K, starring Natja Bronckhurst as the14-year-old girl who falls into the drug scene in West Berlin in the 1970s.

Austrian Cinema presents Adrian Goiginger’s touching WWII drama THE FOX (Der Fuchs) featuring a standout performance from newcomer Simon Morzé as a member of the Austrian Army who finds friendship with a young fox cub; Dieter Berner’s ALMA AND OSKAR (Alma und Oskar) a historical romantic drama that follows the torrid love affair between Viennese grand dame Alma Mahler and expressionist artist Oskar Kokoschka; and, Chris Raiber’s quirky fairytale-like Vienna-set urban love story, FIRST SNOW OF SUMMER.

The Goethe-Institut will present films especially curated for children, teens and families with their Kino for Kids for sidebar. The roster of titles includes Mark Schlichter’s ALFONS JITTERBIT – CLASS TRIP CHAOS! (Alfons Zitterbacke – Endlich Klassenfahrt!), the story of a chaotic class trip to the Baltic Sea coast; MY LIFE AS LOTTA – OKEY DOKEY ALPACA! (Mein Lotta-Leben - Alles Tschaka mit Alpaka!), Martina Plura’s family comedy that follows Lotta (Meggy Husson) on her first school trip adventure; ONE IN A MILLION, Joya Thome’s coming-of-age documentary about success and loneliness in the age of social media; Sven Unterwaldt Jr.’S SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS 2 (Die Schule der magischen Tiere 2; pictured, above), the live-action-adventure sequel that became Germany’s most popular film of 2022; and, THE ROBBER HOTZENPLOTZ (Der Räuber Hotzenplotz), Michael Krummenacher’s remake of Otfried Preußler's classic children's book.

Closing Night honours go to the female-led drama OVER & OUT, a unique take on a female friendship story. Directed by Julia Becker, it focuses on four lifelong friends who vowed to celebrate their weddings together 26 years ago but when one of them invites the others to Italy, a chaotic road trip ensues.

The 2023 GERMAN FILM FESTIVAL will take place nationally from 2 May to 24 May in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Brisbane and Byron Bay. Tickets and session details will be available at the event’s Official Website.

CANNES BOSSES DRAW ON STAR WATTAGE AND PAST WINNERS IN 75TH FEST LINE-UP

Cannes festival president Pierre Lescure and general delegate/artistic director Thierry Frémaux shared the competition, Un Certain Regard and out of competition titles for the 75th edition of the event at a press conference overnight, held on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. 

Amongst the high-profile titles announced were new films from George Miller (Three Thousand Years of Longing, with Tilda Swinton), David Cronenberg (Crimes of the Future, with Kristen Stewart), Kelly Reichardt (Showing Up, a reteaming with star Michelle Williams) and James Gray (Armageddon Time, with Anne Hathaway) in the official selection. The Opening Slot was afforded to Z Comes Z (aka, Final Cut; pictured, below), the long-delayed zombie comedy from Michel Hazanvicius, Oscar winner for The Artist. (Pictured, above: Beast, from directors Riley Keough and Gina Gammell)

Frémaux also confirmed the World Premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, with star Tom Cruise attending, which will roll into a retrospective celebration of his career. Along with Baz Luhrman's Elvis, 20th-century rock legends will be celebrated in Ethan Coen’s out-of-competition doc Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind and Brett Morgen's  Moonage Daydream, a montage-driven midnight-movie tribute to David Bowie.

The competition lineup includes new work from several returning Palme d’Or winners - Ruben Östlund’s social satire Triangle of Sadness (pictured, below); Japanese helmer Kore-eda Hirokazu’s Korea-set Broker; Romanian director Cristian Mungiu’s politically charged RMN; and, Belgian duo the Dardenne brothers’ immigrant-focused Tori and Lokita.

The 18-strong competition features three female directors; in addition to Reichardt, Claire Denis will premiere Stars at Noon, with Margaret Qualley, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi debuts her 80s-set coming-of-age story, The Almond Tree.

Two Ukrainian filmmakers will present works -, Sergei Loznitsa (The Natural History of Destruction, invited as a ‘Special Screening’) and Maksim Nakonechnyi (Butterfly Vision, to screen in Un Certain Regard), along with one Russian, dissident director Kirill Serebrennikov, in competition with Tchaïkovski’s Wife.

Further announcements regarding 2022 title are expected in the days ahead, which may address the absence of Emanuele Crialese’s L'immensità, starring Penelope Cruz; director Haruki Murakami animated pic Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman; Rebecca Zlotowski’s Les Enfants des Autres; and, the Disney/Pixar tentpole Lightyear, all of which had been high on the pre-announcement radar.

The line-up for the 75th Festival de Cannes is: 

OPENING NIGHT (Out of Competition):
Z Comme Z / Final Cut (Dir: Michel Hazanvicius; France)

COMPETITION
The Almond Tree (Dir: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi; France)
Armageddon Time (Dir: James Gray; U.S.)
Boy From Heaven (Dir: Tarik Saleh; Sweden)
Broker (Dir: Kore-eda Hirokazu; Japan)
Brother and Sister / Frère et Sœur (Dir: Arnaud Desplechin, France)
Close (Dir: Lucas Dhont; Belgium)
Crimes of the Future (Dir: David Cronenberg; Canada)
Decision to Leave (Dir: Park Chan-Wook; South Korea)
Eo / Hi-Han (Dir: Jerzy Skolimowski; Poland)
Holy Spider (Dir: Ali Abbasi; Iran)
Leila’s Brothers (Dir: Saeed Roustaee; Iran)
Nostalgia (Dir: Mario Martone; Italy)
RMN (Dir: Cristian Mungiu; Romania)
Showing Up (Dir: Kelly Reichardt; U.S.)
Stars at Noon (Dir: Claire Denis; France)
Tchaïkovski’s Wife (Dir: Kirill Serebrennikov; Russia)
Tori and Lokita (Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne; Belgium)
Triangle of Sadness (Dir: Ruben Östlund; Sweden)

UN CERTAIN REGARD
All the People I’ll Never Be / Retour à Séoul (Dir: Davy Chou; Cambodia)
Beast (Dirs: Riley Keough and Gina Gammell; U.S.)
Burning Days (Dir: Emin Alper; Turkey)
Butterfly Vision (Dir: Maksim Nakonechnyi; Ukraine)
Corsage (Dir: Marie Kruetzer; Austria)
Domingo and the Mist (Dir: Ariel Escalante Meza; Costa Rica)
Joyland (Dir: Saim Sadiq; Pakistan)
Metronom (Dir: Alexandru Belc; Romania)
Plan 75 (Dir: Hayakawa Chie; Japan)
Rodeo (Dir: Lola Quivoron; France)
Sick of Myself (Dir: Kristoffer Borgli)
The Silent Twins (Dir: Agnieszka Smocynska; Poland)
The Stranger (Dir: Thomas M. Wright; Australia)
Volada Land (Dir: Hlynur Pálmason; Iceland)
The Worst / Les Pires (Dirs: Lise Akora and Romane Gueret; France)

OUT OF COMPETITION
Elvis (Dir: Baz Luhrmann; U.S.-Australia)
Mascarade (Dir: Nicolas Bedos; France)
November (Dir: Cédric Jimenez; France)
Three Thousand Years of Longing (Dir: George Miller; Australia)
Top Gun: Maverick (Dir: Joseph Kosinski; U.S.)

MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS
Fumer Fait Tousser (Dir: Quentin Dupieux; France)
Hunt (Dir: Lee Jung-Jae; S. Korea)
Moonage Daydream (Dir: Brett Morgen; U.S.)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS
All That Breathes (Dir: Shaunak Sen; India)
The Natural History of Destruction (Dir: Sergei Loznitsa; Ukraine)
Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind (Dir: Ethan Coen; U.S.)

CANNES PREMIERE
Dodo (Dir: Panos H. Koutras; Greece)
Irma Vep (Dir: Olivier Assayas; France)
Nightfall (Dir: Marco Bellocchio; Italy)
Nos Frangins (Dir: Rachid Bouchareb; France)

“I CALL ON THE WORLD TO UNITE AGAINST PUTIN’S RUSSIA”; UKRAINIAN FILM INDUSTRY RALLIES IN DEFIANCE.

In the late 1960s, as the majority of Soviet filmmakers were adhering to the stark paradigms of ‘social realism’ cinema, director Serhiy Paradzhanov was forging an elevated film style called ‘Ukrainian Poetic Cinema’. Those three words speak of the elegance of Ukrainian film culture and the role it represents to the nation and its population; an artform that embraces life in the independent democracy with optimism and grace.

In the days after Russia’s declaration of war against the sovereign state of Ukraine, key figures in contemporary Ukrainian film culture spoke to the website Cineuropa.org about their reactions to Putin’s assault and how they hope the rest of the world will react.  

OLEH SENTSOV (pictured, right)
Director - Rhino (2020); Numbers (2021): “Putin does not dwell on Ukraine. This is a full-scale war. This is a challenge to the whole democratic world. We are not only defending our land; we are resisting the impending tyranny. The time of concern is over. It is time to fight for freedom and truth.”

VALENTYN VASYANOVYCH 
Director - Reflection (2021); Atlantis (2019): “I am staying in Kyiv. I want to be among people who are aware of their ethnic, cultural and political affiliation. I want to be among these people to gain important experiences that will help me create true stories about them. I want to be part of a force that will lead to the destruction of the evil empire.”

MARYNA ER GORBACH (pictured, right)
Director - Love Me (2013); Omar and Us (2019) Klondike (2022): “Dear colleagues…every minute of delay in making influential decisions takes away the lives of Ukrainians now and every life outside Ukraine in the future. World security is in the hands of the Ukrainian army. Be brave and determined, support the demands of Ukrainian politicians. Do it for the future of your own children!”

ANNA MACHUKH
Executive Director of the Ukrainian Film Academy and the Odesa International Film Festival: “These actions are unforgivable and will never be forgotten. Now more than ever, Ukraine needs the help of the international community, not only their support and concern, but with certain actions. It’s not the time now to bury your head in the sand. It's time to call out. Russia has started the war against Ukraine, and tomorrow it may be at your door.”

NATALIA VOROZHBYT (pictured, right)
Director - Bad Roads (2020): “We live in the centre of Europe, in the 21st century, in Ukraine. Our closest neighbours are Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Baltics and Romania. Nearby are Germany, France, Italy – we go there by car. This is not just our war; it will affect every European. It can destroy our world. Your participation, support and help are very much needed now, as well as your speeches, protests, money, weapons and sanctions. I call on the world to unite against Putin's Russia and win together.”

IRYNA TSILYK (pictured, right)
Director - The Earth Is Blue as an Orange (2020); Home (2016): “We see the real face of Russian fascism now. The Russian dictator has started a full-scale invasion in Ukraine…It is important to understand that the Russian neo-Führer and the millions of his voiceless or agreeable people have started the war not only against Ukraine, but against the whole of Europe and the whole Western world…The main thing is not [to] watch silently as the leviathan is trying to devour Ukraine. Your country could be the next one in his crosshairs.”

NARIMAN ALIEV 
Director - Homeward (2019): “Ukraine is fighting for its freedom and for its right to freedom. The Russian Federation is no longer ashamed to attack a sovereign country in front of the eyes of the entire world. We need support and assistance: military, economic, informational. Go to the squares in your cities and put pressure on the leaders of your countries to provide real assistance to Ukraine. Why do we have a voice if we are afraid to use it to destroy evil and avoid innocent people suffering?”

Originally published at Cineuropa.org, February 25 2022.

Contribute to the Ukrainian miliotary defense fund here.

LOST ILLUSION, ANNETTE LEAD WINNERS AT 47TH CESAR AWARDS

The 47th Cesar Awards have favoured the handsomely-mounted period drama Lost Illusions in its annual award ceremony at the Olympia Theatre in Paris on Friday night, in an event that respected global tensions and tempered the usual boisterous outpourings.

Xavier Giannoli’s adaptation of the classic Honoré de Balzac novel led the nomination pack with an impressive 15 nods, ultimately scoring trophies in seven categories, including Film, Cinematography, Supporting Actor (for Vincent Lacoste) and Male Newcomer (Benjamin Voisin; pictured, above). Giannoli was pipped in the Best Director category by Leos Carax for his Cannes Film Festival opener, Annette, a divisive artistic work that nevertheless won five Cesars, including visual effects and score.

Key categories were divided between a cluster of titles, including Aline (Best Actress for Valerie Lemercier; pictured, right); Living (Best Actor for Benoit Magimel); La fracture (Supporting Actress for Aissatou Diallo Sagna); and, Happening (Best Female Newcomer, Anamaria Vartolomei). Shut out of the awards roster were such high profile titles as Julia Ducornau’s Palme d’Or winner Titane; Paul Verhoeven’s incendiary satire Benedetta; and Bruno Dumont's journalist drama, France.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett was honoured with a special Cesar Award, presented to her by France’s own acting great, Isabelle Huppert. Blanchett spoke briefly in French, then English, acknowledging the prestigious award before putting the evening into perspective, saying, it was “difficult to think or speak about anything other than what's happening in Ukraine.” 

The night was also one of sombre reflection for the French industry. Xavier Dolan read a letter he had written about his close friend, the late actor Gaspard Ulliel, co-star of his 2016 movie, It’s Only the End of the World. Dolan addressed it to his grieving family, saying that “a mother’s love is more powerful than anything, stronger than life, than art even, and surely stronger than death.” Also honoured was iconic actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (pictured, left), the star of New wave classics Breathless and Pierrot le fou, who died in September at the age of 88.

The full list of the 47th Cesar Award winners:

Best Film: LOST ILLUSIONS, Xavier Giannoli, produced by Olivier Delbosc, Sidonie Dumas
ALINE Valerie Lemercier, produced by Edouard Weil, Alice Girard, Sidonie Dumas
ANNETTE Leos Carax, produced by Charles Gillibert
BAC NORD, Cedric Jimenez, produced by Hugo Selignac
HAPPENING, Audrey Diwan, produced by Edouard Weil, Alice Girard
LA FRACTURE, Catherine Corsini, produced by Elisabeth Perez
ONODA, 10,000 NIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE, Arthur Harari, produced by Nicolas Anthome, Lionel Guedj

Best Director: Leos Carax, ANNETTE
Valerie Lemercier, ALINE; Audrey Diwan, HAPPENING; Xavier Giannoli, LOST ILLUSIONS; Arthur Harari, ONODA, 10,000 NIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE; Julia Ducournau, TITANE

Best Actress: Valerie Lemercier, ALINE
Leila Bekhti, THE RESTLESS; Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, LA FRACTURE; Laure Calamy, UNE FEMME DU MONDE; Virginie Efira, BENEDETA; Vicky Krieps, SERRE MOI FORT; Lea Seydoux, FRANCE

Best Actor: Benoit Magimel, LIVING
Damien Bonnard, THE RESTLESS; Adam Driver, ANNETTE; Gilles Lellouche, BAC NORD; Vincent Macaigne, MEDECIN DE NUIT; Pio Marmai, LA FRACTURE; Pierre Niney, BOITE NOIRE

Best Cinematography: Christophe Beaucarne, LOST ILLUSIONS
Caroline Champetier, ANNETTE; Paul Guilhaume, PARIS 13TH DISTRICT; Tom Harari, ONODA, 10,000 NIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE; Ruben Impens, TITANE

Best Supporting Actress: Aissatou Diallo Sagna, LA FRACTURE
Jeanne Balibar, LOST ILLUSIONS; Celine de France, LOST ILLUSIONS; Adele Exarchopoulos, MANDIBULES; Danielle Fichaud, ALINE

Best Supporting Actor: Vincent Lacoste, LOST ILLUSIONS
Francois Civil, BAC NORD; Xavier Dolan, LOST ILLUSIONS; Karin Leklou, BAC NORD; Sylvain Marcel, ALINE

Best Female Newcomer: Anamaria Vartolomei, HAPPENING
Noee Abita, SLALOM; Salome Dewaels, LOST ILLUSIONS; Agathe Rousselle, TITANE; Lucie Zhang, PARIS 13TH DISTRICT

Best Male Newcomer: Benjamin Voisin, LOST ILLUSIONS
Sandor Funtek, SUPREMES; Sami Outalbadi, “UNE HISTOIRE D'AMOUR ET DE DESIR; Thimothee Robart, MAGNETIC BEATS; Matika Samba, PARIS 13TH DISTRICT

Best First Film: MAGNETIC BEATS, Vincent Mael Cardona
GAGARINE, Fanny Liatard, Jeremy Trouilh; LA NUEE, Just Philippot; LA PANTHEREE DES NEIGES, Marie Amiguet, Vincent Munier; SLALOM, Charlene Favier

Best Foreign Film: THE FATHER, Florian Zeller
COMPARTMENT NO. 6, Juho Kuho Kuosmanen; DRIVE MY CAR, Ryusuke Hamaguchi; FIRST COW, Kelly Reichardt;THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, Joachim Trier; PARALLEL MOTHERS, Pedro Almodovar

Best Original Screenplay: Arthur Harari, Vincent Poymiro, ONODA, 10,000 NIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE
Valerie Lemercier, Brigitte Buc, ALINE; Leos Carax, Ron Mael, Russel Mael, ANNETTE; Yann Gozlan, Simon Moutaïrou, Nicolas Bouvet-Levrard, BOITE NOIRE; Catherine Corsini, Laurette Polmanss, Agnes Feuvre, LA FRACTURE

Best Adapted Screenplay: Xavier Giannoli, Jacques Fieschi, LOST ILLUSIONS
Yael Langmann, Yvan Attal, “LES CHOSES HUMAINES; Audrey Diwan, Marcia Romano, HAPPENING; Celine Sciamma, Lea Mysius, Jacques Audiard, PARIS 13TH DISTRICT; Mathieu Amalric, SERRE MOI FORT

Best Animated Film: THE SUMMIT OF GODS, Patrick Imbert
EVEN MICE BELONG IN HEAVEN, Denisa Grimmova, Jan Bubenicek; LA TRAVERSEE, Florence Miailhe

Best Documentary: LA PANTHEREE DES NEIGES Marie Amiguet
ANIMAL, Cyril Dion; BIGGER THAN US, Flore Vasseur; DEBOUT LLES FEMMES! Gilles Perret, Francois Ruffin; INDES GALANTES!, Philippe Beziat

Best Original Score: Ron Mael, Russell Mael, ANNETTE
Guillaume Roussel, BAC NORD; Philippe Rombi, BOITE NOIRE; Rone, PARIS 13TH DISTRICT; Warren Ellis, Nick Cave, LA PANTHEREE DES NEIGES

Best Sound Editing: Erwan Kerzanet, Kaita Boutin, Mawence Dussere, Paul Haymans, Thomas Gauder, ANNETTE
Olivier Mauvezin, Arnaud Rolland, Edouard Morin, Daniel Sobrino, ALINE; Nicolas Provost, Nicolas Bouvet-Levrard, Marc Doisne, BOITE NOIRE; Francois Musy, Renaud Musy, Didier Lozahic, LOST ILLUSIONS; Mathieu Descamps, Pierre Bariaud, Samuel Aïchoun, MAGNETIC BEASTS

Best Editing: Nelly Quettier, ANNETTE
Simon Jacquet, BAC NORD; Fredric Baillehaiche, LA FRACTURE; Cyril Nakache, LOST ILLUSIONS

Best Costumes: Pierre-Jean Laroque, LOST ILLUSIONS
Catherine Leterrier, ALINE; Pascaline Chavanne, ANNETTE; Madeline Fontaine, DELICIEUX; Thierry Deletre, EIFFEL

Best Set Design: Riton Dupire-Clement, LOST ILLUSIONS
Emmanuelle Duplay, ALINE; Florian Sanson, ANNETTE; Bertrand Seitz, DELICIEUX; Stephane Taillasson, EIFFEL

Best Visual Effects: Guillaume Pondard, ANNETTE
Sebastien Rame, ALINE; Olivier Cauwet, EIFFEL; Arnaud Fouquet, Julien Meesters, LOST ILLUSIONS; Martial Vallanchon, TITANE

THE PHILIPPINES

September has been declared Philippine Film Industry Month 2021 in a celebration initiated by The Philippine Film Archive and the Film Development Council of The Philippines. To celebrate the 100-year history of cinema-going and filmmaking in the island nation, SCREEN-SPACE casts an eye over the history* of the Filipino film sector... 

Under Spanish rule, European entrepreneurs introduced the new ‘Moving Image’ artform to the people of The Philippines. A pair of Swiss travellers screened documentary clips of European current events in Manila as early as 1897. But it was the exchange of the nation’s governance to the United States in 1898, that truly launched the new technology known as ‘cine’ to the island nation. 

Audiences at Manila movie houses, such as Cinematografo, Cine Walgrah, Cinematografo Rizal and Gran Cinematografo Parisien would sit enthralled by a steady stream of newsreel and short silent films, making cinema-going one of Manila’s favourite pastimes.

Competition to be the first Filipino movie was fierce as the potential for profit was large. The first to start shooting was La Vida de Rizal, a large-scale epic about the revered Philippine national hero Jose Rizal. When word spread about the production, a cheaper version named La Pasion Y Muerte de Dr. Rizal was hurried before the cameras. Both premiered on August 24, 1913 to rousing business, though much publicity was generated of the feud between the two production outfits.

The steady flow of newsreels and short features inspired a young man named Jose Nepomuceno, and led to one of the most influential careers in the history of Philippine cinema. After forming the production company Malayan Movies, Nepomuceno made the first full-length Filipino film Dalagang Bukid in 1919 (pictured, right). He would also contribute immeasurably to the chronicling of Philippine history, as a regional newsreel representative for Paramount News and Pathe.  

Along with his contemporaries Vicente Salumbides, Carmen Concha and Julian Manansala, Nepomuceno would mentor local talent via extensive workshopping in his many production companies. He is regarded as the ‘Grandfather of Philippino Cinema’, having produced such landmark films as La Venganza de Don Silvestre (1920), La Mariposa Negra (1920), El Capullo Marchito (1921), Hoy o Nunca, Besame (1923) and the film many regard as the country’s greatest work, Noli Me Tangere (1930). He would also produce one of the first local sound pictures, Punyal na Ginto (1932). The first Filipino movie to achieve international recognition was Zamboanga (1937), starring Fernando Poe and Rosa del Rosario.

The Japanese occupation of The Philippines had a devastating effect on local film production. Stories reflecting nationalistic themes, especially the comedies which celebrated the population’s naturally optimistic view of life, were replaced by Japanese propaganda pictures that were forcibly produced by Manila’s production community. Only two films that embraced their Filipino heritage, Gerardo de Leon’s Tatlong Maria and Abe Yutaka’s Dawn of Freedom, were produced under Japanese rule, though both were heavily censored.

Post-war Philippine cinema is marked by films that celebrated the heroics of war and were influenced by the gung-ho militarism of the American troops, who were overseeing the reconstruction of the devastated city of Manila. At the forefront of this rejuvenating period for local film production were the directors Manuel Conde (Orasang Ginto, 1945; Genghis Khan, 1950, pictured, right), Octavio Silos (Ulila ng Watawat, 1946), Manuel Silos  (Victory Joe, 1946), Dr. Gregorio Fernandez (Garrison 13, 1946), The Nolasco Brothers (Fort Santiago, 1946), Lamberto Avellana (Death March, 1946), Oscar del Rosario (Multo ni Yamashita, 1947), and Carlos Vander Tolosa (Krus ng Digma, 1947).

This boom in production and the advancements in technology that were impacting global cinema led to what is regarded as the Golden Era of Philippine cinema. A genre known as ‘komiks’ – adventure films adapted from the serialized novels of the day – became phenomenally successful. Films based on komiks with titles such as Hagibis, Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo, Salabusab, Malvarosa, Darna, Roberta, Darna at Ang Babaing Lawin, Dyesebel, Bondying and Kenkoy were just a few of the blockbusters of the period. 

The four newly-established Manila based studios - Sampaguita (pictured, above; in 1945), LVN, Premiere and Lebran - experienced a boom period like the industry had never seen thanks to ‘komiks’, as well as the imported genre films from Europe and the US, which would be dubbed locally. The first full-colour feature was produced in 1951 – the komik adaptation Prinsipe Amante, which is regarded as one of the very first and finest Asian colour films. 

Teen romance and rock’n’roll romps were popular; films featuring the pairings of such lovebirds as ‘Tita and Pancho’ and ‘Nida and Nestor’ (pictured, right) served the rebellious teenage spirit of the decade. Also commercially potent were the ‘child star’ films, making household names of Tessie Agana (the blockbuster hit, Roberta, 1951); Mila Nimfa (Basag na Manika, 1951); Helen Grace Prospero (Rita Rits, 1952); and, Manuel Ubaldo (Ang Magpapawid, 1950; Anak Ko!, 1951; Kamay ni Hugo, 1952).

Fees and public dissatisfaction with increasingly lowbrow content saw the film industry buckle in the 1960s. Director Gerardo de Leon was determined to make artistically noteworthy films - Huwag mo Akong Limutin (1960); Kadenang Putik (1960); Noli Me Tangere (1961); and, El Filibusterismo (1962). But commercial western cinema imports were booming in The Philippines, and local producers tried to match their appeal with such curiosities as Filipino samurai, kung fu masters and Filipino ‘James Bonds’. The horror and fantasy genres helped bolster the local sector from this point forward, with productions like Eddie Romero’s Brides of Blood (1968), the first of several splatter-pics featuring US import John Ashley, finding broad audience favour.

The most potent box-office juggernaut of the period was ‘The Bomba Film’, a movement that began the re-establishment of domestic cinema in earnest. The Bomba film, led by filmmakers such as Lino Brocka (Stardoom, 1971), Ishmael Bernal (Pagdating Sa Dulo, 1971) and Mike de Leon (Kisapmata, 1981), was one that reacted against society’s mores and aimed to shock – pornography and violence were central to a Bomba film’s mission, and local audiences responded in droves. The very first Filipino Bomba film was Uhawin 1970 starring Merle Fernandez, the daughter of one of Philippine cinema’s pioneer directors, Gregorio Fernandez. 

Under President Marcos’ martial law, cinema was co-opted as a tool of ‘The New Society’ and strict oversight was implemented. The first step was to control the content of movies via censorship, with the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures (BCMP) stipulating the submission of a finished script prior to filming. Marcos’ regime walked a fine line with the film sector, exerting dictatorial might but also allowing for the sector to survive, given its importance as a propaganda tool.  

A softer, more subtle method of social subversity was required, and so the ‘wet look’ genre was born, largely featuring female stars swimming or taking a bath in their underwear, and probably being chased and ravaged in a river, sea, or under a waterfall. The most successful ‘wet look’ film was Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa (The Most Beautiful Animal on the Face of the Earth, 1974) starring former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz (pictured, right).

From this period would emerge one of the sector's most  revered directors, Lino Brocka. His impact upon Asian cinema whilst his nation was in the grip of the Marcos regime remains, in hindsight, one of the great acts of defiant artistry. He is remembered for such works as Manila in the Claws of Light (1975); Insiang (1976); You Were Weighed but Found Wanting (1974); his Cannes competitor Bayan Ko: My Own Country (1984); White Slavery (1985); and, Fight for Us (1989).     

It would be in 1977, when Kidlat Tahimik won the International Critics Prize at the Berlin Film Festival with Mababangong Bangungot (Perfumed Nightmare; pictured, right), that the cinema of The Philippines re-engaged a global focus. This was the period when veteran director Celso Ad. Castillo flourished - Burlesk Queen (1977) the epic romance Pagputi ng uwak... Pag-itim ng tagak (1978); the first of his Virgin People trilogy (1984, then 1996, 2002); and, the acclaimed Paradise Inn (1985).

The establishment in 1981 of The Film Academy of the Philippines saw a streamlining of production and funding entities and, inspired by the socially-aware output of the 1970’s and groundswell of opposition against the Marcos government, a new generation of filmmakers were finding voice. Eddie Romero’s Palaban (1980); Gil Portes’ Iiyak ka rin (1983); Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s Karnal (1984); Mike de Leon’s Sister Stella L. (1984); Nick Deocampo’s Oliver (1983);  Raymond Red’s Ang Magpakailanman (1983); and, Ishmael Bernal’s classic Hinugot sa Langit (1985) were some of the decade's best films.

But commercial interests, fuelled by the booming home entertainment market and the rise of the video pirate, began to dictate the quality of the nation’s films. By the 1990s, porn, grisly B-action (the infamous ‘chop chop’ genre) and slapstick comedy began to dominate; directors such as Toto Natividad (Hangga't may hininga, 1996) contributed groundbreaking action aesthetics, but such inventiveness was scarce. Additionally, a 30% tax on gross box-office revenues (reduced to 10% in 2009) was instituted. Despite producing around 200 films annually, factors such as the financial crisis, film piracy and cable-TV meant producers further trimmed film budgets. This was the era of ‘pito-pito’, or ‘seven-seven’ films - shoots of 14 days or less.

The new century saw a rebirth in Philippine cinema on the back of digital filming advancements. Films that led Philippine cinema out of its mired state and back to the forefront of Asian and international cinema included Gil Portes’ Mga Munting Tinig (2002), Maryo J. de los Reyes’ Magnifico (2003), Auraeus Solito’s Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005), Adolf Alix’s Donsol (2006), Jeffrey Jeturian’s Kubrador (2006; pictured, right) and Jim Libiran’s Tribu (2007). International cinema has lauded the works of Lav Diaz, who debuted as a director with 1998’s The Criminal of Barrio Concepcion, and has released such slow-cinema masterpieces as Naked Under the Moon (1999), Evolution of a Filipino Family (2004) Norte, The End of History (2013), From What is Before (2014) and The Woman Who Left (2016) 

In 2008, The Philippines film industry celebrated when Brillante Mendoza’s Serbis became the first Filipino full-length film to compete in the Cannes Film Festival since internationally acclaimed director Lino Brocka's Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim 16 years earlier; also in 2008, Ellen Ramos’ The Inmate became the first Filipino film to compete in competition at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.

The sector continues to grow, led by such filmmaking talents as Antoinette Jadaone (Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay, 2011); Maribel Legarda (Melodrama negra, 2012), Erik Matti (On the Job, 2013); Christopher Ad Castillo (The Diplomat Hotel, 2013; In Darkness We Live, 2014); Mario Cornejo (Apocalypse Child, 2015, pictured, right); and, Mikhail Red (Rekorder, 2013; Birdshot, 2016). Industry institutions with progressive agendas such as the Film Academy of The Philippines, The Philippine Film Archive and the Film Development Council of The Philippines are ensuring that the century-old legacy of the film sector and the emergence of exciting new visionaries moving forward will continue to strengthen The Philippine film sector as a regional powerhouse. 

*All care was taken in compiling this information, collected from various sources online. We do not claim it to be a whole and complete history, so please forgive any notable omissions and do feel free to contact us with any verifiable corrections.