Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 7) — The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), in partnership with ABS-CBN Film Restoration, will present more digitally restored classic Filipino films on its website JuanFlix beginning Oct. 20.
The newly added selection will feature films from National Artists for Film Ishmael Bernal, Lino Brocka, and Marilou Diaz-Abaya, along with award-winning filmmakers Butch Perez, Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara, and Jeffrey Jeturian.
These are:
Nunal sa Tubig (1976) by Ishmael Bernal
A love triangle story of Ferry owner Benjamin and his regular passenger, Chedeng who aspires to be a trained midwife, and her best friend and neighbor, Maria.
The film received the prestigious 1981 Gawad Urian Dekada Award.
Cain at Abel (1982) by Lino Brocka
Written by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, the film follows the story of a strong-willed matriarch Señora Pina, who favors her younger son Ellis over the older Lorenzo, whom she blames for her husband’s death.
It bagged the 1983 Gawad Urian Awards for Best Actor (Philip Salvador) and Best Supporting Actress (Baby Delgado).
Karnal (1983) by Marilou Diaz-Abaya
Also written by Ricky Lee, it narrates the story of Narcing and his wife Puring marred by misfortune and violence, including rape, incest, parricide, and tyranny perpetrated by the cruel Gusting.
This film earned accolades from Gawad Urian Awards 1984, FAP Awards 1984, FAMAS Awards 1984, and Metro Manila Film Festival 1983.
Haplos (1982) by Butch Perez
The film weaves a story about Al (Christopher de Leon) who returns to his hometown where he becomes involved with two women.
Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo (1976) by Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara
Tackling the concept of imperialism, the film tells a story of a young nurse (Nora Aunor) who questions her planned emigration to the United States, and her country’s post-colonial conditions, following her brother’s fatal shooting by an American soldier from the nearby military base.
It received multiple awards from the 1977 FAMAS Awards and 1976 Metro Manila Film Festival.
Ekstra (2013) by Jefrey Jutian
A socio-realist drama comedy film that follows the mundane life of an extra, Loida Malabananan (Vilma Santos) as she embarks on another shooting day for a soap opera.
Vilma Santos won the best actress award at the Dhaka International Film Festival and Golden Screen Awards.
The FDCP launched its streaming platform JuanFlix last year. It was previously the agency’s website (FDCP Channel) that was rebranded to make hard-to-find Filipino films more accessible.
Some of the more recently awarded films that can be watched on JuanFlix include Pauwi Na (2016) by Paolo Villaluna, Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus (2018) by Dwein Baltazar, and Midnight in a Perfect World (2020) by Dodo Dayao.
