100 years after the defeat of the local troops under Gen. Miguel Malvar in the Philippine-American War, the people of a Batangueño town would have lost its character typified by the Tagalog term "barako", meaning brave or courageous. Much worse, they have become subservient to their corrupt leaders who have been taking advantage of their ignorance and poverty. But they are slowly swayed to a new liberal direction by a small coffee club called "barakuhan" whose organizers see in it a reawakening of their native courage.
Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio is the untold story of the trial of Andres Bonifacio under the Revolutionary Government of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo. Two leaders, Andres Bonifacio, Supremo of the Katipuneros, and Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the Revolutionary Government, made their way to fight for freedom for the Filipinos against the dominant rule, fought for a cause and for a reason to be one nation. Yet only one should rule. This was the start of Philippine politics. Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio is a film documentation of Philippine history put to screen and megged by Mario O’Hara. And now, let the people be the judge whether Andres Bonifacio is guilty or not guilty of treason
Upon his father's death, Florante, a classically trained guitarist returns to the Philippines after 12 years of absence. During his stay he rediscovers the music of harana - a long-forgotten tradition of Filipino serenading when men sang under the window at night to fearlessly declare their love for a woman. Intent on unearthing these unheralded songs, Florante travels to the remote provinces where he discovers three of the last surviving practitioners - a farmer, a fisherman and a tricycle driver. Astounded by their golden voices, Florante asks them to travel with him to perform and record these unknown songs. During their travels, the haranistas meet Brian, a shy young man who for years has been secretly in love with a schoolmate. The haranistas, who have not serenaded in the last thirty years, offered their services to serenade Brian's object of affection, resulting in one of the most tender moments of genuine harana captured on film.
The Philippines, 1898. Fifty Spanish soldiers arrive in the small village of Baler to rebuild an outpost. Although the war against the Filipinos and their American allies is almost lost, as is the Spanish Empire, the garrison will endure a cruel siege for eleven months. They will be the last to surrender.
Two filmmakers try to create a film venturing on the life of Jose Rizal. Before they do that, they try to investigate on the heroism of the Philippine national hero. Of particular focus is his supposed retraction of his views against the Roman Catholic Church during the Spanish regime in the Philippines which he expressed primarily through his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The investigation was done mainly by "interviewing" key individuals in the life of Rizal such as his mother Teodora Alonso, his siblings Paciano, Trinidad, and Narcisa, his love interest and supposed wife Josephine Bracken, and the Jesuit priest who supposedly witnessed Rizal's retraction, Fr. Balaguer. Eventually, the two filmmakers would end up "interviewing" Rizal himself to get to the bottom of the issue.
In 1898, a band of Spanish soldiers heroically defended Baler against Filipino forces for 337 long and grueling days. The battle, now referred to as the Siege of Baler, is the setting of a forbidden love between a Mestizo soldier and a Filipina lass who lived at the end of the 19th century.
Produced by the Army Pictorial Service, Signal Corps, with the cooperation of the Army Air Forces and the United States Navy, and released by Warner Bros. for the War Activities Committee shortly after the surrender of Japan. Follow General Douglas MacArthur and his men from their exile from the Philippines in early 1942, through the signing of the instrument of surrender on the USS Missouri on September 1, 1945. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2013.
The Battle of Tirad Pass was fought between Filipino revolutionary forces and Americans of the 33rd Infantry Regiment in Ilocos Sur. Brigadier General Gregorio del Pilar led the Filipinos, while Major Peyton March led the Americans. The battle resulted in the death of Del Pilar, along with 51 Filipino soldiers.
Decades before the rise of liberalism in Spanish-era colonial Philippines, a young charismatic preacher leads a movement for equality and religious freedom for his fellow native Filipinos. He is hailed as the Christ of the Tagalogs, but is sentenced to death for heresy by both Church and State.
On a storm-ravaged island that has seen its share of tragedy, a person who had been assumed dead reappears and ignites a frenzy of reactions, ranging from ecstatic religious fervor to fear.
Historical biographical religious drama film based on the memoirs of Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order who was also canonized as a saint in Roman Catholicism.
Set at the backdrop of the colonization of pre-Hispanic Philippine, this historical epic revovles around the story of Ramir, a half-caste warrior falls in love with Princess Mahalina. Ramir has to reckon with another brave native, Kiram.
An adaptation of Sinai Hamada's short story. A Japanese farmer living in the Cordilleras hires a Bontoc woman to work at his farm, and eventually marries her.
Don Victorino Hernandez, a creole secular priest from Manila, has two passions: botany and the total conversion of the native population particularly the Agtas, who in spite of the rigorous undertakings of Spanish colonialism continue to live in the hinterlands, giving them a notorious reputation in the minds of the lowlanders as well as the colonizers.
After surviving the Death March, Martial Law and the loss of his legs, Justino became an atheist. But when his wife dies, a part of him is yearning to believe in life beyond death; just for a chance to be with her again. Searching for parts of her he can still hold on to, he devours her diaries for information into their past --opening a Pandora's Box of secrets.
Set in Spanish colonial Philippines. Pedro is tasked to wed a wife whilst his activist friend is considering him to join the revolution. Through a raunchy and campy path of winning the love of his life, Pedro is met with a daunting revelation.
A musical docudrama about the brave and outstanding Women of Malolos to whom Jose Rizal addressed his famous letter in Feb 22, 1898.
A satire of a famous event in Heneral Luna’s life.
A short film about Antonio Luna’s aides-de-camp Jose and Manuel Bernal during the aftermath of Luna’s assassination.
Accused of treason, Dr. Jose P. Rizal awaits trial and meets with his colonial government-appointed counsel, Luis Taviel de Andrade. The two build the case and arguments for the defense as significant events in the central figure's life prior to his incarceration unfold. Upon hearing Rizal's life story, Taviel begins to realize that the accused not just is innocent but exhibits in fact all the qualities of an extraordinary man. When the mock trial unreels, Taviel is all set to act as the prime advocate for his client as Rizal himself is about to give an earth-moving speech to defend his honor and address his countrymen. Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities have worked out the vast political machinery to ensure a guilty verdict. A revolution waits in the wings.