This screening will be preceded by an introduction by Darlene Machell Espena, Assistant Professor of Southeast Asian Studies (Education) at the Singapore Management University.

Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising (Moments in a Stolen Dream, 1977)
Director: Mike De Leon
Language: Filipino; English subtitles
Country: Philippines
Runtime: 112 min
Rating: TBA

Full Synopsis

“Rey Santayana and I conceptualised a love story with a lot of music that would pay tribute to the romantic musicals of LVN Pictures [the celebrated movie studio founded by Mike De Leon’s grandmother Doña Sisang]. We imagined a dreamlike love story with good-looking actors, set in a romanticised Baguio [‘a magical place created by the American colonisers for themselves and the Filipino elite’] and an even more romanticised Sagada…. It was a bittersweet romance featuring characters from our social class, lush cinematography, a colour-coordinated production design, and original Filipino music…. Kung Mangarap was later described as a pioneer Filipino rom-com and continues to enjoy a small cult following” (Mike De Leon, Last Look Back).

The restoration of Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising by ABS-CBN Sagip Pelikula was made possible using the two sets of 35mm positive prints preserved by the Asian Film Archive.

Followed by:

Si Boyet, Hilda, Atbp (Boyet, Hilda and the Others, 1977)
Director: Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr
Language: Filipino; English subtitles
Country: Philippines
Runtime: 23 min
Rating: TBA

Full Synopsis

Del Mundo’s documentary about the making of Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising (Moments in a Stolen Dream) weaves together interview snippets with the cast and crew. Leads, Boyet (Christopher De Leon) and Hilda Koronel, recount their experiences working with Mike De Leon, composer Jun Latonio elaborates on his musical themes, while production designer Mel Chionglo shares how the film’s colour schemes were inspired by the vibrant hues of the city of Baguio.

About the Speaker

Darlene Machell Espena is an Assistant Professor of Southeast Asian Studies(Education) at Singapore Management University (SMU), where she has taught courses on International Relations on Film, Film in Southeast Asia, Cultural History of the Cold War in Asia, and Big Questions. She earned her PhD in History (2017) and MSc. in Asian Studies (2012) from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Her research includes cinema, dance, and politics in postcolonial Southeast Asia, cultural history of the Cold War in Southeast Asia, and cultural discourses on education in Singapore. Before joining SMU in August 2018, she was a Research Fellow at Singapore’s National Institute of Education (NIE). She has held teaching positions at De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. Her current book project is entitled “Heralding the Nation: Cinema and Politics in Postcolonial Southeast Asia, 1945-1967.

This screening is part of Retrospective: Mike De Leon. For the full programme, please click here.

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