'A Speck in the Water' (Photo: IMDb)
Cover 'A Speck in the Water' (Photo: IMDb)

Unsure what to watch this long weekend? Here's a list of classic Filipino films that are worth revisiting

Turn back the time and get cosy this long weekend by watching classic films made by Filipino filmmakers. Below, we've culled a list of movies that span from the '50s to the early '90s, in different genres such as drama, romance, and musical.

See also: PH Heads to Berlinale 2022 with Short Film 'It’s Raining Frogs Outside'

1. Biyaya ng Lupa (1959)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Manuel Silos, Biyaya ng Lupa (Blessings of the Land) tells the story of Maria, Jose, and Bruno, a widower feared by the village who wishes to remarry Jose's niece, Choleng. However, the courting leads to a tragic end that urges Jose and his family to take revenge.

The cast includes Rosa Rosal, Tony Santos, Joseph de Cordova, and Mila Ocampo.

To watch, click here

2. Nunal sa Tubig (1976)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

The 1976 film Nunal sa Tubig (A Speck in the Water) directed by Ishmael Bernal stars veteran actors Elizabeth Oropesa and Daria Ramirez. The film tackles poverty as it depicts a dying village by the sea and its residents who are stuck in a cycle of love, hate, fertility, pollution, birth, and death.

The restored version is available for viewing here

Read more: 93rd Oscars: 3 Filipina-Directed Films Are Eligible For Best Picture Nomination

3. Omeng Satanasia (1977)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Enter the world of fantasy and romance in the comedy film, Omeng Satanasia starring the late comedian Dolphy who plays four roles in this comedy, including Omeng, an old scientist working on a formula that can bring back his youth. He then sells his soul to a gay demon and must find true love in a year.

To watch, click here

4. Tinimbang ang Langit (1982)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Tinimbang ang Langit is a drama written and directed by Danny L Zialcita. It follows the journey of struggling singer, Victoria, who searches for a career and instead finds both love and a successful singing career. However, she chooses to follow her dream and is caught in a web of lies.

See also: Not Enough Filipino-American Film Selections? Here Are 5 You Can Watch on Netflix

The charming cast includes Kuh Ledesma, Christopher de Leon, Rio Locsin, and Anita Linda among other brilliant actors.

To watch, click here

5. Mga Bilanggong Birhen (1977)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Mga Bilanggong Birhen (The Captive Virgins), directed by Mario O'Hara and Romy Suzara, is a controversial film starring Alma Moreno, Monang Carvajal, Rez Cortez, and Trixia Gomez among others who portray characters in the Sagrada Household, who live in the province of Visayas under the Americans. The film tackles oppression, love, and colonial power.

The restored version is available for viewing here

6. Tag-Ulan sa Tag-Araw (1975)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Forbidden love is told through the film Tag-Ulan sa Tag-Araw. Written and directed by Celso Ad Castillo, the movie has a stellar cast including Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon, and Eddie Garcia. 

See also: ABS-CBN Film Archives: The Process, Challenges, And Rewards Of Film Restoration

Santos and de Leon portray lovers, who must keep their affair hidden, given that the two are first cousins. However, the secret is revealed to the family when Santos' character becomes pregnant.

The restored version is available for viewing here

7. Alyas Baby Tsina (1984)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Alyas Baby Tsina is a biopic of Evelyn Duave Ortega, legally known as Baby Tsina. The story follows Duave's experience as she's found guilty of murder and several other appeals on death row in 1971 until she was declared innocent and released from prison after a Supreme Court decision.

To watch, click here

8. The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995)

Tatler Asia
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Above Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Nora Aunor, Amy Austria, Vina Morales, and Julio Diaz all star in the crime-drama movie, The Flor Contemplacion Story directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Bonifacio Ilagan and Ricky Lee.

See also: CCP's 'Damay at Dangal' Seeks to Express Filipinos' 'Collective Grief' Amid COVID-19

This award-winning film shows Flor Contemplacion's side of the story as an ode to her execution and death in 1995. 

To watch, click here 

9. Giliw Ko (1939)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

The romance film Giliw Ko (My Beloved) tells the story of Guia. Directed by Carlos Vander Tolosa, the musical portrays how Guia began singing American songs on the radio after falling in love with Hollywood's grandeur and the son of a wealthy hacienda owner. What follows is a love triangle that eventually leads to a happy ending.

Tatler Trivia: Giliw Ko is the first film production by a Filipino company.

The restored version is available for viewing here 

10. Malvarosa (1958)

Tatler Asia
Photo: IMDb
Above Photo: IMDb

Malvarosa is a drama that shows destiny's hold on a struggling family living by the railroad tracks. This tragic story is directed by Gregorio Fernandez, starring Charito Solis, Leroy Salvador, Carlos Padilla Jr, and Eddie Rodriguez.

To watch, click here

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