Itโs undeniable that one of the favorite pastimes of Filipinos is watching movies, but what was the first film ever show in the Philippines?
Many of us enjoy watching movies.
Movies are now accessible not just in theaters but also in homes, vehicles, and anywhere you go.
Whether on television or our gadgets, people enjoy movie marathons.
Especially now that almost all films can be easily accessed and downloaded both locally and internationally.
But did you know that on September 12, 1919, Filipinos first experienced watching a film?
This was when the first Filipino film directed by Jose Nepomuceno, titled โDalagang Bukid,โ was released.
โDalagang Bukidโ has a runtime of two hours.
Compared to films today, โDalagang Bukidโ was a silent film, meaning it had no dialogue or sound effects.
The film is about a love story that cannot be stopped.
The female lead is married off by her parents to a rich old man, but she fights for her love with the male lead, who is thought to be poor but is actually a wealthy lawyer.
It wasnโt until December 8, 1932, that Filipino films finally included dialogue and sound.
The film was titled โAng Aswang,โ produced by George Musser, and was shown in theaters in Manila.
It was based on local legends about aswangs, and other mythical creatures.
However, during World War II, film production was temporarily halted as films were used as propaganda against the Japanese.
After the war, many directors and writers created films related to the war, propaganda, soldiers, and freedom.
This marked the continuous development of various genres in Philippine cinema, with dramas and action films becoming especially popular in theaters and on television.
With the advancement of modern technology, may each film, whether local or international, teach valuable lessons from its characters and events.
