Following the recent successful restorations and exhibitions of the classic Philippine films, “Genghis Khan” (1950), “Oro, Plata, Mata” (1982) and “Himala” (1982), it seemed only a matter of time before the works of the man widely believed to be our country’s greatest director, Lino Brocka, received their own digital makeovers. On July 6, at the UP Film Institute’s Cine Adarna, fans of Filipino film got their wish, with the local premiere of the freshly restored, “Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag”.
Through the efforts of Martin Scorcese’s World Cinema Foundation and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the restoration was performed by Italian laboratory L’Immagine Ritrovata, the same company that performed a similar process on “Genghis Khan”.
The film tells the story of Julio Madiaga (an impossibly young Bembol Roco), a youth from the province who discovers life in the city is nowhere near as glamorous as he believed it to be, “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” is an intimate character study as relevant to day as the day it was first released.
His love interest here, Ligaya Paraiso, played by Hilda Koronel, is the driving force Julio’s character arc. As the film progresses, the personalities encountered and the misfortunes that befall Julio taint him, making him long for the safety and simplicity of his provincial life.
Originally premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Martin Scorcese’s original introductory message was played here for the benefit of the local audience. In the video, Scorcese praised Brocka and his filmography for being “brave, extraordinary, powerful experiences”.
