40 pelikulang nagpatingkad sa industriya!

 

40 pelikulang nagpatingkad sa industriya!

 

Gorgy Rula - Pilipino Star Ngayon

March 24, 2026 | 12:00am

 

Ang taong 1976 ang maituturing na golden year o ginintuang taon ng Philippine cinema.

 

Tunay na maipagmamalaki mo ang mga pelikulang ipinalabas nung taong ‘yun hanggang sa mga sumunod pang taon.

 

Maraming mga classic film na ang iba’y socially relevant na malaki ang ambag sa kasaysayan ng pelikulang Pilipino.

 

Noong panahong ‘yun dalawa o tatlong pelikulang ipinapalabas tuwing Linggo.

 

Talagang inaabangan at dinadagsa ng mga manonood.

 

Nung panahon ding ‘yun ay nabuo ang mainit na rivalry nina Nora Aunor at Vilma Santos na hindi pa rin kayang higitan ng mga sikat na artista sa ngayon.

 

Nung taon ding ‘yun ay inilunsad ang mga malalaking bituin na sina Alma Moreno, Rudy Fernandez, Charo Santos, Daria Ramirez, Trixia Gomez at Orestes Ojeda.

 

Kaya eksaktong nasa 50 taon na, balikan natin ang mga pelikulang hindi makakalimutan at hanggang ngayon ay bahagi sa mga pinag-uusapan at pinag-aaralan sa usaping pelikula at lipunan.

 

Narito ang 40 na pelikulang nagpatingkad sa ating pelikulang Pilipino.

 

Pero simulan natin sa taong 1976 na kung saan ito talaga ang taong napanood ang mga pelikulang hindi kumukupas sa patuloy na pag-usad ng panahon.

 

Simulan natin sa pelikulang (1) Insiang ni Hilda Koronel na dinirek ni Lino Brocka.

 

Ito ang unang pelikulang Pilipino na ipinalabas sa Cannes filmfest.

 

Isa rin ito sa 10 kalahok sa 1976 Filipino Film Festival, na kung saan nagwagi sina Hilda, Mona Lisa at Ruel Vernal.

 

Hinding-hindi rin makakalimutan ang (2) Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? na entry sa 1976 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

 

Isa ito sa pinaka-memorable films ni Christopher de Leon na dinirek ng pumanaw na National Artist na si Eddie Romero. Nagmarka rin sa pelikulang ito sina Leopoldo Salcedo, Gloria Diaz at Dranreb Belleza.

 

Paano ba natin makakalimutan ang linyang “my brother is not a pig!” ni Nora Aunor sa pelikulang (3) Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo.

 

Isa ito sa mga pelikulang ipinagmamalaki ng direktor na si Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara.

 

Sa taon ding ‘yun ay ipinalabas ang isa pang likha ni Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara na (4) Magandang Gabi Sa Inyong Lahat na pinagbidahan din nina Nora Aunor at Tirso Cruz III.

 

Kung may (5) Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos si Ate Guy, nung taon ding ‘yun ay meron din si Vilma Santos na pinagsamahan nila ng Da King Fernando Poe Jr. o FPJ, ang (6) Bato sa Buhangin.

 

Naalala pa naming dito ipinakilala si Tina Monasterio na isa sa sexiest stars nung panahong ‘yun. Si Tina ang ina ng actor na si Derrick Monasterio.

 

Kasali rin sa MMFF nung taong ‘yun ang (7) Dateline Chicago: Arrest the Nurse Killer na pinagbidahan nina Joseph Estrada at Pilar Pilapil. Ito ang topgrosser sa naturang filmfest.

 

Nung sumunod na taon, 1977, ay dito naglikha ng ingay ang pelikulang Burlesk Queen ni Vilma Santos.

 

Nagkaroon pa ito ng isyung bawian ng awards sa MMFF. Isa ito sa hindi makakalimutang obra ni Celso Ad Castillo.

 

Sa taon ding ito ay namayagpag sa MMFF ang pelikulang (8) Bakya Mo Neneng nina Joseph Estrada at Nora Aunor at isa ito sa topgrosser sa MMFF nung panahong ‘yun.

 

Pero sa taon ding ito napanood natin ang iba pang classic films na (9) Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising nina Christopher de Leon at Hilda Koronel na dinirek ni Mike de Leon. Kinunan ang kabuuan ng pelikula sa Baguio na paboritong location ng premyadong direktor.

 

Taong 1978 naman na-produce ang isa rin sa mga hindi makakalimutang pelikula ni Nora Aunor, ang (10) Atsay.  “Mamay, mali ang hula nila,” ‘di makakalimutang acceptance speech ni Ate Guy nang tanggapin nito ang Best Performer award.

 

Walang Best Actor at Best Actress. Isa lang ang winner nung taong ‘yun na tinanghal na Best Performer. Natalo rito ni Ate Guy sina Vilma Santos ng (11) Rubia Servios ni direk Lino Brocka.

 

Inamin ng Star for All Seasons noong panahon na ‘yun na sobra siyang nasaktan sa pagkatalo niya sa filmfest.

 

Pero sa taon ding ito na-produce ni Ate Vi ang (12) Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak, ni direk Celso Ad Castillo.

 

First production niya ito sa kanyang VS Films na kung saan nagkabaun-baon daw siya sa utang dito.

 

Sa taon ding ito inilunsad si Sen. Lito Lapid bilang action star sa pelikulang (13) The Jess Lapid Story.

 

Taong 1979 naman ay nagsiksikan din ang mga magagandang pelikula na namayagpag sa MMFF.

 

Dito nagtunggali sa Best Actress sina Nora Aunor at Lolita Rodriguez sa (14) Ina Ka Ng Anak Mo ni Lino Brocka.

 

Dito rin nagawa ni Direk Lino ang klasikong pelikula na (15) Jaguar na napansin ang galing ni Phillip Salvador. Nakara­ting din ito sa Cannes International Film Festival.

 

Pero napasayaw rin nang bonggang-bongga si Ate Guy sa pelikulang (16) Annie Batungbakal. Isa ito sa biggest hits ng original superstar.

 

Naluklok din bilang isa sa pinakamagaling na aktres at naki­pagsabayan din sa pagpapa-sexy si Gina Alajar sa pelikulang (17) Diborsyada ni Elwood Perez.

 

Sa taon ding ito naglikha ng ingay ang pagpapatalbugan nina Lorna Tolentino at Rio Locsin sa pelikulang (18) Stepsisters na dinirek din ni Elwood Perez.

 

Patuloy na tinatangkilik ang pelikulang Pilipino nung taong 1980.

 

Dito inilunsad bilang bida si Cherie Gil – sa pelikulang (19) Problem Child.

 

Dito rin naipalabas ang obra ni Eddie Romero na (20) Aguila na ilang taon din nilang binuo.

 

Sa taon ding ito nagpa-sexy si Vilma Santos sa pelikulang (21) Miss X ni direk Gil Portes.

 

Ibinahagi pa ito sa amin ng National Artist na si Ricky Lee na siyang nagsulat ng pelikulang ito.

 

Tinanong siya kung nagustuhan niya ang pelikulang ito na isinulat niya ang script. Diretsong sinagot niyang, “hindi!”

 

Taong 1980 rin ang pelikulang (22) Temptation Island ng Regal Films na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin makakalimutan ang mga karakter na ginampanan nina Dina Bonnevie, Azenith Briones, Jennifer Cortez, Bambi Arambulo at Deborah Sun.

 

Inilunsad din noong dekada ‘80 si Dina Bonnevie sa pelikulang (23) Katorse kasama si Gabby Concepcion.

 

Hanggang ngayon ay iba pa rin ang dating ng pelikulang (24) Kakabakaba Ka Ba? ni direk Mike de Leon.

 

Isa rin sa nagawa ni Ishmael Bernal na napanood sa taong ito ay ang (25) Manila By Night ng Regal Films.

 

Lumutang sa pelikulang ito sina Rio Locsin at Bernardo Bernardo.

 

Dito rin nabuo ang hindi makakalimutang fantasy film ni FPJ, ang (26) Ang Panday na nagkaroon din ng iba’t ibang version na ginampanan nina Bong Revilla Jr., Jericho Rosales at Coco Martin.

 

Dito rin nagpasiklab si Nora Aunor sa isa pang classic film niyang (27) Bona na dinirek din ni Lino Brocka.

 

Marami ring mga pelikulang tunay na maipagmamalaki na napanood sa taong 1981.

 

Ilan sa mga ito ay ang (28) Playgirl ni Gina Alajar na likha ni Mel Chionglo, ang (29) High School Scandal ni direk Gil Portes na kung saan dito sumikat ang theme song niyang High School Life na kinanta ni Sharon Cuneta.

 

Pero sa taon ding ito lalong tumingkad ang bituin ni Sharon sa pelikulang (30) Dear Heart at P.S. I Love You.

 

Dekada ‘80 rin nang ipa­labas ang (31) Kumander Alibasbas ni Joseph Estrada, ang launching movie ni Snooky Serna na (32) Bata Pa si Sabel, at ang (33) Kamakalawa ni Eddie Romero.

 

Pero talagang namayagpag si Gina Alajar sa taong ito, dahil dito rin ipinalabas ang iba pa niyang pelikula—ang (34) Kontrobersyal ni Lino Brocka at ang Salome na dinirek ni Laurice Guillen.

 

Hindi rin makakalimutan sa taong ito ang pelikulang (35) Kisapmata ni Mike de Leon. Na­nalo sa MMFF sina Vic Silayan, Jay Ilagan, at Charito Solis, at hindi pinalad si Charo Santos.

 

Dito sa taong 1982 natin nabuo ang 40 pelikulang hindi natin makakalimutan at nakatatak na sa kasaysayan ng pelikulang Pilipino.

 

Taong 1982 ipinalabas ang pinakamagandang obra ni Peque Gallaga na (36) Oro, Plata, Mata.

 

Dito rin ang isa pang napakagandang pelikulang obra ni Mike de Leon na (37) Batch ‘81.

 

Nabuo rin sa taong ito ang isa sa classic films ni Marilou Diaz-Abaya ni (38) Moral, na ang dinig namin ay gagawin nang musical nina Ricky Lee at Ryan Cayabyab.

 

Sa taon ding ito ipinalabas ang (39) Relasyon ni Vilma Santos na likha ni Ishmael Bernal.

 

At higit sa lahat, sa taon ding ito inilikha ang maituturing kong pinakamagandang pelikula sa buong kasaysayan ng pelikulang Pilipino, ang (40) Himala ni Nora Aunor na obra rin ni Ishmael Bernal.

 

Sabi ni Ricky Lee, talagang na-depress daw si Ate Guy rito dahil wala siyang nakuhang Best Actress award sa award-giving bodies. Dito nag-grand slam si Ate Vi, sa pelikula niyang Relasyon.

 

Nawa sa paglipas ng panahon ay hindi makalimutan ang mga pelikulang ito.

 

Link: https://www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/showbiz/2026/03/24/2516444/40-pelikulang-nagpatingkad-sa-industriya

 

Daily Guardian: Madness in a time of imperialism

 

Daily Guardian: Madness in a time of imperialism

 

Madness in a time of imperialism

March 13, 2026

By John Anthony S. Estolloso

 

Hilda Koronel is ‘Sisa’.

 

With a sly nod to the character from Rizal’s novel, her character loses herself to the follies of the narrative’s zeitgeist: imperialism, genocide and reconcentration, discrimination, and the degradation of women.

 

Jun Lana’s 2025 cinematic historical fiction reimagines a part of our history which seem to be replayed in parts of the world today. Riding the wave of resurgent imperialisms, ‘Sisa’ nitpicks the price with which these are paid for. Set during the pacification stage of the American occupation of the country in the 1900s, the film narrates an overlooked side of that militarized story, one inflicted on ordinary civilians.

 

At the film’s onset, Koronel walks distractedly into an American concentration camp of distracted people, mostly women who have lost everything: husbands, brothers, sons, their sense of identity and community, and eventually, personal dignity. She mingles in and immerses into the sordid conditions of the camp. To the rest, she is just another woman deranged by the brutalities of war. Listless and lost, she rambles around, sans name and identity, until the moniker of Rizal’s madwoman was attached to her by the incarcerated reconcentradas. She becomes Sisa, maddened by the madness of her times.

 

We never know her real name. As the eponymous character, Koronel lends an unflinching gravitas to the narrative. She is mad, in all senses of the word – yet not insane as to lose sense of the world. In her interactions with the people she encounters, she comes to terms with realities that burn through principles and demolishes them, one epiphany and truth at a time.

 

The film develops into a simulacrum of the machinations of imperialism: where the oppressed are pitted against each other as a means of establishing the colonizer’s dominance, and where futile resistance is sublimated as madness. In a frenzied climax to the plot, the women fall on each other to protect personal interests, the physicality of their violence resonant of the futility of escape from their oppressions – and Sisa becomes the main witness to this drama.

 

Eugene Domingo as long-suffering mother Delia somehow provides a foil to the madness; she suffers patiently through deaths and drudgeries – only to succumb to this madness at the end. Jennica Garcia as the alluring Leonor is both sultry and demure in her tryst with the enemy: infatuated with the camp commandant, she finds no shame nor sorrow in professing that America is Big Brother come to help. But she is no Judith hellbent in redeeming her people; she becomes an accomplice to the act of colonialism which still manifests itself today in the Filipinos’ obsession of whiteness and things stateside and Americana.

 

Perhaps it is trite to call the film as another cinematic commentary of the times – but there lies the paradoxical rub. As before as now, there is the interrogation of ever-present social themes: of gender roles – that women scrub the floors, cook the meals, do the laundry, and accomplish every menial chore while men do the yapping on the table; of the foul performative of hegemony where imperialist states play kingmakers in ‘toppling dictatorships’ and replacing them with puppet governments; that the colonizer can physically take advantage of the colonized and get away it.

 

There are no heroines in the story; there is no redemption either, no deus ex machina to save the characters and enshrine the narrative as some noble Greek tragedy; there was only madness piled upon madness. At the end of it all, it is women who are left to clean up the mess. As symbolic finale, there must be a purgation of iniquities, even at the cost of a holocaust. In the last few minutes of the film, all male characters are retching with poison-laced food and the refectory is drenched with gasoline. In ending, Sisa holds aloft a lit quinque, in sardonic imitation of Lady Liberty with her torch. There is no self-immolation of flames closing the scene – but of what need is fire when all of them are already too scorched with colonial mentality?

 

In a time when American imperialist tendencies are resurgent, when American bombs are raining somewhere among civilians, in the name of liberty and democracy, one is left to wonder how many Sisas are wandering listlessly around amid the butchery and violence, looking for lost fathers, brothers, and sons.

 

This country went through that hell before. Then as now, the situation is insane.

 

(The writer is a language and literature teacher in one of the private schools of the city. The film poster is from Reddit.)

 

Link: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/madness-in-a-time-of-imperialism/

MEGA: In Sisa, Women Navigate a World of Disappointment, Trust, and Solidarity

 

MEGA: In Sisa, Women Navigate a World of Disappointment, Trust, and Solidarity

 

Part revenge thriller, part feminist retelling, Sisa shows us that sometimes, women can only trust their fellow women. 

 

By Rafael Bautista

March 13, 2026

 

Right off the bat, it should be noted that, contrary to the movie’s title, Sisa is not about the fictional character in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangére. Instead, the title comes from the fact that it is the name the townsfolk give Hilda Koronel’s character when she wanders into their community in a direct reference to the novel’s madwoman.

 

Still, even though they are separate characters, their plight is similar in essence. Sisa in the novel goes crazy after losing her children and experiencing abuse, while the movie’s Sisa fakes her craziness to disguise her act of revenge against the people who took everything from her.

 

In Sisa’s quest to do just that, it’s the women in the community who prove to be her biggest allies. Director Jun Robles Lana’s women-focused revisionist tale puts the spotlight on female victimhood in how its all-women lead characters carry their own crosses and ultimately can only rely on themselves to get the job done and attain the justice they desire. Through their pain, strength, and sacrifice, the women of Sisa go through it as they discover that their freedom, or at the very least their retribution, can only be brought about by themselves.

 

The Madwoman

 

​Set during the final days of the Philippine-American War, the movie tells the story of Sisa, an elderly woman who stumbles into a concentration camp run by American soldiers. There, the village’s women, whose husbands were killed or arrested, reluctantly serve the Americans as cooks, maids, and the like.

 

The women of the community call her Sisa because of how she can’t talk properly and is prone to emotional outbursts. In reality, Sisa is a spy for the resistance who is helping plan a major attack against the American garrison in the community. It is here where we meet our main cast of characters, women who all have their stories to tell.

 

​There’s Delia (Eugene Domingo), Sisa’s caretaker of sorts, whose side comments about being under American rule make for some of the best lines in the film. Ofelia (Tanya Gomez) deals with the grief of her husband, who served as the village chief, being arrested by the Americans, but eventually rises to the occasion to be the new community head with the help of Sisa’s encouragement. Then there’s Leonor (Jennica Garcia), a young widow who has a not-so-secret relationship with the leader of the camp, Commander Harrison.

 

​It’s through these women and more that color Sisa’s story as viewers learn about the lengths they go to continue with their lives and just survive. But their experiences don’t hide their shared grief in how the Americans took away their husbands, and, more importantly, their freedom in becoming servants to the soldiers.

 

Their Female Rage

 

Despite overtures to “educate” the Filipinas in the American way of life, the women are still being held captive, even if they aren’t physically tied up. Despite not fighting in the war, Filipino women are the ones who have to pick up the pieces and find some semblance of normalcy once the dust settles.

 

It is in this context that their grief transforms into action. Instead of wallowing in their plight, the women learn to rise with a newfound strength. Sisa serves as the spark to light the fire as her steadfast presence and quiet bravery wake up the community’s muted apathy into a collective act of resistance.

 

​Slowly but surely, the movie explores how these women band together to have each other’s backs and eventually fight back against their oppressors in a show of female rage. We already know what happens at the end of the Filipino-American War, so the movie explores how a group of Filipinas is pushed to the edge in a world that doesn’t have their best interests at heart.

 

Their anger is palpable, especially when the movie takes a shocking turn in its final act that highlights how women will always get the short end of the stick, no matter what they do. These women aren’t soldiers. Even Sisa was pushed to become a spy because of a tragic incident. The faith they put in other people proves fruitless, as they realize that their oppression and marginalization aren’t just limited to their Western captors. In their own ways, the women are faced with the reality that their trust, especially in men, becomes their undoing. 

 

Ultimately, their quest for revenge and retribution isn’t just driven by their dislike towards the Americans, but also by how they are constantly let down at every step of the way. The anger is real, which pushes them to commit drastic acts. While viewers can debate the morals of their actions and whether the women were justified in doing what they did, it does come from a real place. These women use the fact that they are seen as invisible and deemed disposable by society to their advantage.

 

​It makes for one of the most compelling Filipino movies of 2026 yet, and a reminder that no matter the time or place, female solidarity will always be a powerful source of bravery, strength, and hope.

 

Link: https://mega-asia.com/women/sisa-women-disappointment-trust-solidarity/

 

ABS-CBN: Jun Robles Lana praises Hilda Koronel’s dedication in ‘Sisa’ as actress returns to US

 

ABS-CBN: Jun Robles Lana praises Hilda Koronel’s dedication in ‘Sisa’ as actress returns to US

 

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 13, 2026 11:43 AM PHT            

 

MANILA — Director Jun Robles Lana paid tribute to veteran actress Hilda Koronel in a social media post Thursday, recalling moments from the production and promotion of their historical film “Sisa” as the actress prepares to return to the United States.

 

In a Facebook post, Lana described Koronel as both a “legend” of Philippine cinema and a private person who prefers a quiet life away from the spotlight.

 

“In a few days, Hilda Koronel flies back to the US. Most know her as a pillar of Philippine cinema,” Lana wrote. “But to those who know her best, she is simply Susan,” referring to the actress by her real name.

 

Koronel returned to the Philippines to film “Sisa,” marking her first movie appearance in more than a decade.

 

Directed by Lana, “Sisa” is a historical thriller set during the final years of the Philippine-American War and follows a woman who survives a massacre and later seeks revenge while pretending to be insane.

 

The film had its world premiere at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia in November 2025 and opened in Philippine cinemas last March 4.

 

In his post, Lana shared anecdotes from filming in Tarlac, where principal photography took place during the height of summer. Despite the extreme heat, the director said Koronel remained unfazed.

 

He recalled one instance when the production needed to capture a shot atop a distant hill before sunset.

 

“I asked if she was game,” Lana wrote. “Without hesitation, she started running. We all panicked and ran after her, afraid she might trip. She reached the top. We got the shot.”

 

Lana also praised Koronel’s acting, describing her screen presence as the emotional center of the film.

 

“To say her eyes are cinema is no exaggeration,” he said, adding that some actors perform a role while others leave performances that endure.

 

The director also remembered lighter moments during the film’s international festival run in Tallinn, where he said the two shared drinks in a bar before strolling through the city’s Christmas market.

 

“Sisa” has continued to gain recognition overseas, recently winning the Best Screenplay award at the Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal.

 

Koronel, known for classic performances in films such as “Insiang” and “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag,” has long been regarded as one of the defining actresses of Philippine cinema.

 

For Lana, working with her was both a professional and personal milestone.

 

“Working with her hasn’t just inspired my filmmaking,” he wrote. “It has changed the way I think about what it means to endure.”

 

Link: https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2026/3/13/jun-robles-lana-praises-hilda-koronel-s-dedication-in-sisa-as-actress-returns-to-us-1143

 

International Cinephile Society: Review: Sisa (Jun Robles Lana)

 

International Cinephile Society: Review: Sisa (Jun Robles Lana)

Nicol Latayan

March 17, 2026

 

“Like a dish left to simmer before being served, the film is patient, waiting for the perfect moment before it raises the stakes.”

 

Probably one of the most notable characters in Philippine literature is Sisa from Noli Me Tangere by José Rizal. Driven by extreme poverty and the hopelessness caused by the disappearance of her sons, Sisa descends into madness and is often seen wandering around town in search of them. Jun Robles Lana’s latest film of the same title isn’t about the novel’s character; instead, he reimagines her by writing a complex female figure dealing with a different type of madness.

 

Set in 1902, in the aftermath of the Philippine-American War, American forces control local civilians by placing them in different concentration camps to separate them from rebellious groups determined to fight against the American presence in the country. A woman appears out of nowhere, wandering through the village and looking unthreatened even when confronted by an American guard. She does not know her own name and is eventually called Sisa — arguably the name given to any madwoman in Philippine culture. The women in the camp gradually take her in and she helps them with their daily activities.

 

However, the film does not focus on teasing what drove Sisa to madness. It is eventually revealed that Sisa’s madness is simply an act. To avoid drawing attention to herself while plotting revenge, she pretends to be a harmless madwoman. Quietly and methodically, she moves pieces into place as she crafts the perfect comeuppance against the American conquerors, together with the other women in her barrio.

 

There is a certain restraint you feel while watching the film, which seems like a deliberate directorial choice from Lana. At times it feels extremely claustrophobic, as we watch these women go about their daily tasks inside the camp while being controlled in every move they make. But like a dish left to simmer before being served, the film is patient, waiting for the perfect moment before it raises the stakes. It is precisely this patience that makes the last act particularly satisfying.

 

The veteran Hilda Koronel essentially comes out of retirement for her first feature acting role in 14 years, and it is easy to understand why this material served as her comeback. She portrays the titular character with a balance of grit and grace, her eyes channelling both the pain and rage of her situation as well as the courage and conviction needed to carry out her plan. It even brings to mind someone like Geraldine Page in The Beguiled, especially once the final act kicks in.

 

Twelve years ago, Lana wrote and directed Barber’s Tales, and in a way, Sisa feels like its spiritual companion. Both films place women front and center, with the lead characters taking matters into their own hands in a broken society that constantly tests them. It is also fitting that this film is being released during International Women’s Day season. Sisa is by no means a perfect character, but it is satisfying — and admirable — to see how she takes control of her own narrative. After all, nothing is more dangerous and impactful than a woman willing to do whatever it takes to claim her identity.

 

Link: https://icsfilm.org/reviews/review-sisa-jun-robles-lana/

 

#InternationalCinephileSociety #ICS #NicolLatayan