Figure Photo Courtesy of Dada Grifon By Dada Grifon
The long- awaited Philippine Premiere of the newly restored Brocka’s film, Maynila, Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Manila in the Claws of Light) has taken place last July 6 at the University of the Philippines- Diliman after its world premiere at 67th Cannes Film Festival last May.
Through the collaborative effort of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation (WCF), Mr. Briccio Santos of Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) andL’Immagine Ritrovata, world renowned Film Restoration and Preservation, the screening became possible.
Lino Brocka’s film was a 1975 Filipino drama which was based from Edgardo Reyes’ novel “In the Claws of Brightness.” It was an independent production with a modest budget that was made popular by Bembol Roco as Julio Madiaga and Hilda Koronel as Ligaya Paraiso.
The long- awaited Philippine Premiere of the newly restored Brocka’s film, Maynila, Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Manila in the Claws of Light) has taken place last July 6 at the University of the Philippines- Diliman after its world premiere at 67th Cannes Film Festival last May.
Through the collaborative effort of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation (WCF), Mr. Briccio Santos of Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) andL’Immagine Ritrovata, world renowned Film Restoration and Preservation, the screening became possible.
Lino Brocka’s film was a 1975 Filipino drama which was based from Edgardo Reyes’ novel “In the Claws of Brightness.” It was an independent production with a modest budget that was made popular by Bembol Roco as Julio Madiaga and Hilda Koronel as Ligaya Paraiso.
Photo Courtesy of Dada Grifon [In-set photo description: Julio is a probinciano who has lost track of his childhood sweetheart in the wilds of Manila. In what amounts to a major quest, he enters the sprawling metropolis in order to find her.]
Present in the premiere night were Bembol Roco, Lou Salvador, Jr,. Tommy Abuel, Miguel de Leon, Danilo Brocka, brother of Lino and other stars such as Charo Santos, Gang Badoy and Tony Mabesa. The UP Film Center, alma mater of the late Lino Brocka was deluded by a lot of viewers however; those with invitation were the only ones who made it inside.
The Restoration
The reinstallation was initiated through the use of original camera and sounds negative donated by Pierre Rissent, on behalf of Cinema Artists Philippines, to the BFI National Archive since the late 1970s and preserved there since then.
The negative was wet- scanned at 4K resolution. The digital restoration was a long and painstaking work due to the great number of issues that affected the negative: tears, scratches, warping, visible marks and halos.
Color decay was very strong, so the work of grading made use of a reference print that had been validated by Mike De Leon. Eventually, it was successfully carried out by Cineteca di Bologna laboratory or L’Immagine Ritrovata.
The Film’s Triumph
National artist Lino Brocka who was named the Philippines’ Greatest Director was commemorated along with all his achievements in pioneering the film.
The film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor at the 1976 FAMAS awards.
Aside from being one of the few Filipino films that has been consistently placed among the world’s top 100 films of all time, it is the only film from the Philippines that entered in the list of the book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
Recently, it became part of the prestigious Cannes Classics section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival last May 17, 2013 before its actual premiere in the country.
The film will be on Philippine Cinemas this coming August.
Watch Trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8qVg3cQKCo
Source: Official Statement of the Film Development Council of the Philippines
Present in the premiere night were Bembol Roco, Lou Salvador, Jr,. Tommy Abuel, Miguel de Leon, Danilo Brocka, brother of Lino and other stars such as Charo Santos, Gang Badoy and Tony Mabesa. The UP Film Center, alma mater of the late Lino Brocka was deluded by a lot of viewers however; those with invitation were the only ones who made it inside.
The Restoration
The reinstallation was initiated through the use of original camera and sounds negative donated by Pierre Rissent, on behalf of Cinema Artists Philippines, to the BFI National Archive since the late 1970s and preserved there since then.
The negative was wet- scanned at 4K resolution. The digital restoration was a long and painstaking work due to the great number of issues that affected the negative: tears, scratches, warping, visible marks and halos.
Color decay was very strong, so the work of grading made use of a reference print that had been validated by Mike De Leon. Eventually, it was successfully carried out by Cineteca di Bologna laboratory or L’Immagine Ritrovata.
The Film’s Triumph
National artist Lino Brocka who was named the Philippines’ Greatest Director was commemorated along with all his achievements in pioneering the film.
The film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor at the 1976 FAMAS awards.
Aside from being one of the few Filipino films that has been consistently placed among the world’s top 100 films of all time, it is the only film from the Philippines that entered in the list of the book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
Recently, it became part of the prestigious Cannes Classics section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival last May 17, 2013 before its actual premiere in the country.
The film will be on Philippine Cinemas this coming August.
Watch Trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8qVg3cQKCo
Source: Official Statement of the Film Development Council of the Philippines
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