Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (Huk in a New Life, 1953)

  • April 15, 2023 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Saturday
  • Oldham Theatre

Tickets

Sorry, this event is expired and no longer available.
Share This Events:

This screening will be accompanied by an introduction from Josh Siegel, film curator at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), who first conceived and organised the programme Mike De Leon: Self-Portrait of a Filipino Filmmaker.

Director: Lamberto V. Avellana
Language: Filipino; English subtitles
Country: Philippines
Runtime: 120 min
Rating: PG

Full Synopsis

Swept up in the anti-Communist fervour of the 1950s, and in defense of the Philippines—”the bastion of democracy in the Pacific”—LVN Pictures produced three jingoistic films warning of a Fifth Column of Marxist-Leninist-Maoist conspirators bent on Chinese supremacy in the region. “The Cold War between America and the Communist bloc of the Soviet Union and China was becoming a hot war,” as Mike De Leon writes in Last Look Back, “and the Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon (People’s Army Against the Japanese) or Hukbalahap, evolved into the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (People’s Liberation Army) after the war. The Huk movement, as it was called, supported the peasants’ ardent desire to own their land, and advocated armed struggle…. In 1953, with extensive help from the CIA, soon-to-become President Ramon Magsaysay and the United States Information Service (USIS) launched a nationwide campaign to persuade the Huk rebels to lay down their arms and take advantage of the government’s offer of amnesty. Those who surrendered were promised their land, specifically in Kapatagan, Lanao, in Mindanao. Huk in a New Life is based on this campaign message, although it transcends propaganda as directed by Avellana. It remains a powerful drama with stirring performances by Padilla, Joseph de Cordova, and Leroy Salvador.”

Please note: little survives of the film library of LVN studios, and what does survive is generally in poor condition. We nonetheless present these rare films so that Singaporean audiences can experience them for the first time.

 


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

Oldham Theatre’s opening hours

For further assistance, please contact us at ticketing@asianfilmarchive.org 


Important Notice:
Do note that Oldham Theatre operates on a free seating arrangement. Doors will open 20 minutes before showtime so arrive early to choose a seat and avoid disrupting the screenings as AFA does not play ads and screenings will start promptly.
All patrons are encouraged to purchase your tickets online. If you choose to purchase tickets or merchandise at Oldham Theatre’s box office, cashless payment is preferred.
Measures will be taken to ensure the health and safety of all patrons at Oldham Theatre. Mask-wearing is optional as of 29 August 2022.

T&Cs
Concession tickets apply to Students (Local & Overseas), Full-time National Servicemen (NSF), Senior Citizens (55 years and above) only.
Please check film ratings before purchase of tickets. Please note that you may be asked to present your ID at the door (this applies to concession tickets as well). Only physical photographic identification is allowed, digital copies of identification are not allowed. AFA reserves the right to turn away any members of the public without physical photographic identification.
Upon confirmation of your order for Tickets, no exchange of Tickets will be made under any circumstances and Tickets are not transferable. No refund on Tickets will be made under any circumstances except due to cancellation of the event. The resale of Tickets at any price is prohibited.