Gratitude to Filipinos

Ishmael Bernal was born on September 30, 1938. He is hailed to be “the genius of the Philippine Cinema.” Bernal truly loved theater and the arts, he was an active member of the UP Dramatic Club while at the same time studying in college. His films revolved around themes of feminism and moral issues in the country. Just like Brocka, he tackles and evades the stereotypes that surround the marginalized sectors of society. His films show the urban life and the cynicism that reside in it. He has won a lot of awards including one from the Chicago Film Festival, where he won a bronze for his film Himala (1982). He was awarded the National Artist award in 2001 after his death “I always investigate, question, and unravel the hypocrisy of society, of established mores. I consciously depart from stereotypes to show that people, whether prostitutes, drug addicts, philosophers, or professors can behave unpredictably. I don’t dwell on the pagmumulat (awakening) thing — poverty is caused by clas...

Eric Oteyza de Guia is born on October 3, 1942. He is known to be the “Father of Philippine Independent Cinema” since besides being the director, he is also the scriptwriter, cameraman, editor, and even actor of his films. He is also the founder of the "Philippine New Wave," an influential commentator on postcolonialism and the power of inequality in this world. When he was discovered to the West by Werner Herzog who said that his films form the 70s can be considered as the most open-minded works of their time. He is also a guest lecturer in film forums in various universities and art happenings at Japan, USA, and Germany since 1978. He made his mark on international cinema by tackling globalization, colonialism and the gap between the rich and the poor among the many issues of inequality. He fully commits on the Philippine culture and a pro-indigenous activist, resisting the cultural imperialism that exists in the country. He is known for the holistic, free-spirited, an...