Dia dEL Maestro

Elwood Pérez Birthday Retrospective

Free screenings

Feb 4 at 1 PM – Feb 7 at 9 PM

Cine Adarna
UP Film Institute Film Center, Quezon City, Philippines

This February —National Arts Month— will be truly grand at the University of the Philippines Film Institute Cine Adarna with the celebration of “Dia dEl Maestro” honoring master director, Elwood Pérez with a Birthday Retrospective on February 4 with an encore on February 7. Through the benevolence of Mother Lily Monteverde and Producer Roselle Monteverde of Regal Multimedia, the following classic movies will be screened: Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit, Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos, I Can’t Stop Loving You, Pinay American Style and Waikiki and also through the benevolence of Rootman Productions, Buhay: Ako sa Itaas, Ikaw sa Ibaba.

Free admission and open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

Feb 4 Mon, Cine Adarna
1:30 p.m. Ibulong Mo sa Diyos (1988)
4 p.m. I Can’t Stop Loving You (1985)
6:30 p.m. Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit (1989)

Feb 7 Thurs, Videotheque
1:30 p.m. Pinay American Style, (1979)
4 p.m. Buhay: Ako sa Itaas, Ikaw sa Ibaba, (1978)
6:30 p.m. Waikiki (1980)

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BILANGIN ANG BITUIN SA LANGIT, 1989

Though unaccredited, this is the Director’s story that he has imbued with his most personal views on life, love, career and happiness. This is also his most critically acclaimed work. Despite its length (more than two hours), this novelistic film is visually exciting, well-paced, and has a feeling for detail. Showing the great gap that yawns between the rich and the poor, the movie also reveals the last vestiges of Spanish feudalism. Peasant proprietor’s daughter Magnolia de la Cruz (Nora Aunor) accuses rich, aristocratic, landowner’s son Anselmo Gonzales (Tirso Cruz III) for having robbed her of the honor to go up the stage as high school valedictorian during graduation rites.

What follows is a bittersweet contest for love, wealth, honor and power between the two of them, spanning two generations. Nora Aunor turns in a well-modulated performance playing 14 first, determined barrio lass that grows up into a powerful woman, succeeding in acquiring the wealth of a proud but resentful man who always considers her déclassé, and whose love she lusts for but is always at arm’s length. Second, the daughter she bears who stubbornly falls for the son of the man her mother loves and hates. The big surprise is Tirso Cruz III who gains acting prominence for the first time in his father and son roles, succeeding handsomely in displaying a multi-dimensional range.

The film received numerous nominations and was conferred a total of eighteen awards by the FAP, FAMAS and other award-giving bodies (URIAN and STAR). The film and the Director won two awards each (FAP and FAMAS). Nora won three from FAP, FAMAS and Urian. Tirso also garnered three (FAP, FAMAS and STAR). Screenplay got two (FAP and FAMAS). Editing, one (FAMAS). Music, one (FAP). The production designers cornered the most awards (FAP, FAMAS, STAR and URIAN).

IBULONG MO SA DIYOS, 1988

The Director’s somewhat heavy-handed
treatment balanced this somehow convoluted plot, making it an emotional, thrill-a-minute, roller coaster ride. Audience reaction made it a mega hit which sat well with the FAMAS, conferring it eight awards including Best Picture. Vilma Santos as the suffering Monica Quijano, won the Best Actress award, while Miguel Rodriguez, as her insufferable tormentor, the Best Supporting Actor, for their over-the-top performances. Arguably, the quintessential Filipino movie replete with elements of song and dance interspersed with melodrama, rhetoric, action and suspense, it also earned honors for Song, Editing, Production Design, Cinematography
and Direction.

Cast: Vilma Santos, Eric Quizon, Gary Valenciano, Miguel Rodriguez, Eddie Garcia, Nida Blanca, Barbara Perez, Nadia Montenegro, Armida Siguion-Reyna, Perla Bautista, Rachel Ann Wolfe, Deborah Sun, Ruben Rustia, Vangie Labalan, Nena Perez Rubio

WAIKIKI, 1980

WAIKIKI partly filmed in Honolulu, Hawaii. Raul Aragon and Alicia Alonzo get the most important roles of their careers as separated husband and wife Juan and Idad in this film with a provocative title due to its sexual connotation in the Filipino language. The story about overseas contract labor has more weight and depth than its flamboyant marketing strategy. In exchange for financial gain is the breakdown of family ties and values. Alma Moreno, Lorna Tolentino, Rio Locsin, Ricky Belmonte, Victor Laurel and Alfie Anido complete the ensemble.

PINAY, AMERICAN STYLE, 1979

Filmed in New York. Despite the many constraints of shooting abroad, guerilla style, Elwood Perez succeeded in putting together a well-crafted film about the Filipino’s passion for the green card. Nonoy (Bembol Roco) gets enmeshed in a tumultuos affair with overstaying alien PX (Vilma Santos). Boyfriend Rory (Victor Laurel) has abandoned her for Dianne (ALexandra Dulaney), a white woman to obtain American citizenship. US-born, half-breed Chris (Christopher de Leon), realizing her sterling qualities, follows her to the Philippines after she gets deported.

I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU, 1985

Riding on the crest of the enormously successful Till We Meet Again and of the newly revived Nora-Tirso-Elwood tandem, this sixteen-day quickie was rushed to catch the deadline of the Metro Manila Film Festival. Prodded by Chris Villena (Rowell Santiago), her newfound manager, Amy Mercado (Nora Aunor), the other half of a winning duo in a provincial amateur contest, leaves her partner, Renan (Tirso Cruz III) for the city to try to make it as a singing star. On her way up, she gets to meet, push, shove, trip and step on different entertainment figures. Cynthia Elicano (Jackie Lou Blanco), Vina Salcedo (Lani Mercado) and most prominently Jeff Carbonell (Miguel Rodriguez) who becomes her transient paramour. Stumbling down, depressed and lonely, Amy seeks out her former self and gets renewed, ironically with the advice of her former singing partner and loyal lover, the dying Renan. Alone on stage, as she sings in a successful concert, Amy pines for her lost love.

BUHAY: AKO SA ITAAS, IKAW SA IBABA, 1978

Alma Moreno, a komiks vendor and movie fan, insinuates herself into the household of her idol, Amalia Fuentes, stealing the latter’s career and lover. Ricky Belmonte romances the two superstars

Starring: Amalia Fuentes, Alma Moreno, Ricky Belmonte