Over 600 attendees celebrate ‘Maynila’ golden anniversary screening with Bembol Roco
Over 600 attendees celebrate ‘Maynila’ golden anniversary screening with Bembol Roco
‘Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag’ credits’ roll during July 16 Cine Adarna screening. Photo from Sam Arinto.
A total of 685 attendees flocked to UP Film Institute (UPFI) Cine Adarna for a free screening of Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag last July 16, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1975 classic.
From first-time watchers to avid cinephiles, the packed audience of all ages welcomed Maynila’s very own probinsyano protagonist—Julio Madiaga himself, Bembol Roco.
Just as surprised as the audience with their sheer number, Roco looked back on his experience on the production and its lasting legacy, five decades since its release.
“Maraming nandito, hindi pa pinapanganak noong inilabas itong [Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag]. All of the problems then are problems today. Pero how [we] deal with [them] is the difference. Mas malawak pa nga ang [mga] problema ngayon,” Roco said.
Bembol Roco graces a brief talkback session after the ‘Maynila’ screening. Left photo from Sam Arinto. Right from Liberato Ramos.
Now, more than ever
Regarded as one of the best films ever made in the country, Brocka’s Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag holds a reflexive and immersive portrayal of the social, economic, and political realities of the working-class Filipino.
The film follows a young man, Julio Madiaga (Roco), who left his hometown in search of his sinisinta, Ligaya Paraiso (Hilda Koronel). Madiaga comes face-to-face with the harsh reality of living in the city, lost in its gritty streets and fearing he might lose the love of his life.
READ: 50 years later, Hilda Koronel looks back on filming ‘Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag’
Based on the novel of the same name by Edgardo M. Reyes, the film was produced by Mike de Leon during the years of Martial Law. In times of repression amid strong censorship, Maynila’s release—and persisting relevance—is married to the parallels between Madiaga’s and the contemporary Filipino viewers’ realities.
Rally in ‘Maynila’. Still from the Film Development Council of the Philippines Media.
Roco said, “We [were] very surprised that it was allowed to show [during] Martial Law at that time.” Brocka took creative liberties and diverged from Reyes’ original material, including a demonstration scene by the end of the film. The director decided to add it in and shot the sequence without a permit.
READ: Bembol Roco revisits ‘Maynila’ | Inquirer Entertainment
Brocka’s creative will and strong messaging bear fruit to commercial and critical success, with Maynila bagging major awards in the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards in 1976—including Best Picture, Best Director for Brocka, and Best Actor for Roco.
Preserving and restoring ‘absolute cinema’
Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag was digitally restored in 2013, thanks to a triumphant collaboration between local and international institutions, including the World Cinema Project, founded by renowned Hollywood filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
Cinematographer Mike de Leon, who owns the rights to Maynila as its producer, welcomed the restoration project and saw it as a rightful “tribute” to Brocka.
READ: Martin Scorsese-Mike De Leon team to save Lino Brocka’s film
Today, a copy of Maynila’s digitally restored version is also in the care of the Philippine Film Archive of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Through these efforts, Brocka’s 1975 masterpiece—pieced together with screenwriter Clodualdo del Mundo Jr.’s—is made available and accessible to international and local audiences.
The restored Maynila was first unveiled at the 66th Cannes Film Festival in May 2013. Months later, it premiered on July 6 at the very Cine Adarna, where Roco was also present.
2013 Philippine premiere of restored Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag at UPFI Cine Adarna. Photos from the Film Development Council of the Philippines Media.
Years later, Julio and Ligaya’s tragic love story was once again screened to the public for free on the 50th commemoration of the Martial Law last 2022.
These free Maynila screenings, spearheaded by UPFI programmer Noy Lauzon, hold dear to his cultural work in preserving Philippine cinema, keeping the tradition of cinema going alive, and fostering viability for the local creative industry.
Truly a landmark in Philippine cinema, Lauzon reminded 685 seated individuals in Cine Adarna who tuned in onto the silver screen for two hours enchanted in Bembol Roco’s eyes, “Napakahalaga ng pelikulang ito.“
Bembol Roco snaps a group photo after the Maynila screening. Photo from Sam Arinto.
