all's said and done: The History of Philippine Cinema

Cinema's Arrival in the Philippines

Pertierra, a Spaniard, attempted to launch his first movie show in Manila in December 1896. However, the show kept being postponed until January. In 1897, the movies: Un Homme Au Chapeau (Man with a Hat), Une scene de danse Japonaise (Scene from a Japanese Dance), Les Boxers (The Boxers), and La Place de L' Opera (The Place L' Opera), were shown in Manila via 60mm Gaumont Chrono-photograph projector.

Lumiere Cinematograph

A Spanish soldier named Antonio Ramos imported a Lumiere Cinematograph from Paris. Two persons, namely Liebman and Peritz, were able to present the first movies on the Lumiere Cinematograph in Manila by August 1897.

Earliest Movie Shot

In 1898, Antonio Ramos used the Lumiere Cinematograph to film Panorama de Manila (Manila landscape), Fiesta de Quiapo (Quiapo Fiesta), Puwente de España (Bridge of Spain), and Esceñas Callejeras (Street scenes).

First Movie Houses

Cine Walgrah, located at 60 Calle Santa Rosa in Intramuros, was opened by a British man named Walgrah. Another movie house, named Gran Cinematografo Parisien located at 80 Calle Crespo, Quiapo, was opened in 1902 by a Spanish entrepreneur, Samuel Rebarber. Jose Jimenez, a stage backdrop painter, set up the first Filipino-owned movie theater, the Cinematograpo Rizal which was located at Azcarraga Street.

Rose of the Philippines

The first Philippine story film was entitled Rose of the Philippines . It was produced by Carl Laemmele's Independent Moving Picture Company and was known as "a dramatic story from the days of the Empire".

When sound was present

In 1910, the first picture with sound reached Manila, using the Chronophone. By 1930, the talking pictures were already one year old in the country with the showing of Syncopation, the first American sound film.

Film Marketing

New York and Hollywood film companies established their agencies in Manila by 1912. In 1915, the best films of Europe and U.S. were being enjoyed by Filipino audiences, both in Manila and the Provinces.

Zamboanga

The first Filipino movie to achieve international recognition was Zamboanga, starred in by Fernando Poe and Rosa del Rosario, in the year 1937. Hollywood director Frank Capra praised Zamboanga as the most exciting and beautiful picture of native life he had ever seen.

Golden Age of Philippine Cinema

The 5th and 6th decades were the Golden Age of Philippine cinema with films engraving marks in the overseas scene. Among the films which achieved awards at the Cambodian, Asia and Berlin Film Festivals were: Kandelerong Pilak, Ifugao, and Anak Dalita.

Film Producers Association

In 1911, the first association of motion picture producers and distributors was organized by American, Spanish, Filipino producers and theater managers to fight the imposition of censorship and to lobby against taxes.

Censorship and Taxes

In 1912, the Government established the Board of Censors for cinematographic films. It was succeeded by the Board of Censorship for Moving Pictures in 1929. This is now the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Film Academy

A Presidential Decree was issued creating the Film Academy of the Philippines. Under its umbrella are the different organizations of the industry's working forces:

MOWELFUND - Movie Welfare Fund
KAPP - Katipunan ng mga Artista ng Pelikulang Pilipino
KDPP -Kapisanan ng mga Director ng Pelikulang Pilipino
DGPI - Directors Guild of the Philippines, Inc.
SGP - Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines
FEGMP - Film Editors Guild for Motion Pictures
PDGP -Production Designers Guild of the Philippines
STAMP - Sound Technicians Association for Motion Pictures
ADPM - Assistant Directors and Production Managers
FSC - Filipino Society of Cinematographers
UFIMDAP- United Film Music Directors Association of the Philippines
OSFILM - Organization of Specialized Filmmakers
AFW - Actor's Workshop Foundation
PMPPA - Philippine Motion Picture Producers Association
MPDAP - Movie Producers & Distributors Association of the Philippines

Film as an Effective Medium

It was Jose Nepomuceno who came on the scene and realized the challenge and promise of cinema from a different perspective. He saw cinema, not only as a profitable entertainment fare, but as a unique medium with which to document the unfolding development of the Philippines.

Government's Recognition of Cinema's Relevance

The Philippine Commission recognized early the potential of cinema as a tool of communication and information, so that in 1909, the Bureau of Science bought a complete filmmaking unit and laboratory from Pathe, and sent its chief photographer, the American, Charles Martin, to France to train for a year.

Effect of Global Economic Trends on Cinema

Big movie studios in Hollywood, such as 20th Century Fox, MGM, Paramount, Columbia, Universal; and in the Philippines- the famous Big-Four- Premiere Production, Sampaguita Pictures, LVN Studio, Lebran Production, are all virtually closed down due to the proliferation of individual and collective modes of film production.