Director: Lamberto V. Avellana
Language: Filipino; English subtitles
Country: Philippines
Runtime: 94 min
Rating: PG
Full Synopsis
“Pag-asa is probably one of the few LVN movies I never grow tired of watching. Some crucial scenes are missing in its surviving version, but I’m still caught up by the precise fusion of excellent camerawork and fine naturalistic performances. I don’t know what Bert [director Lamberto V. Avellana] thought of this film, but I’m convinced that he was inspired in making it, even if it was just a tearjerker. Though set in the slums of Intramuros, a favourite location of Bert’s, it didn’t dwell on abject poverty (that would come later, in Anak Dalita). Instead, the narrative focuses on the relationship between a virtuous young woman and her brother and the young man who loves them…. In Pag-asa, it seems that Avellana’s camera was always where it was supposed to be, and the actors moved in and out of this cinematic space in perfect harmony with the characters’ relationships to each other” (Mike De Leon, Last Look Back).
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.
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