Directed by Lino Brocka • 1982 • Philippines
Starring Christopher de Leon, Phillip Salvador, Carmi Martin
A high-pitched melodrama, a timeless Biblical retelling, and a furious allegory for the Marcos-era Philippines all in one, Lino Brocka’s lush actioner puts forward a powerful examination of the landed class and its frontier justice in the guise of a pulp thriller. Firstborn Lorens (Phillip Salvador) toils the land by buffalo while Ellis (Christopher de Leon), the apple of his mother's eye, is given a university education in Manila. When the latter returns to the family’s hacienda with a metropolitan fiancée (Carmi Martin) in tow, the domineering Señora Pina (Mona Lisa) immediately disapproves. Looking to reassert her influence, she asks her youngest to name his inheritance. Ellis claims the land—sparking a family feud that boils over into all-out filial war.
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Insiang
Directed by Lino Brocka • 1976 • Philippines
Starring Hilda Koronel, Mona Lisa, Ruel VernalJealousy and violence take center stage in this claustrophobic melodrama, a tautly constructed character study set in the slums of Manila. Lino Brocka crafts an eviscerating portrait of an innocent daught...
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Manila in the Claws of Light
Directed by Lino Brocka • 1975 • Philippines
Starring Hilda Koronel, Rafael Roco Jr., Lou Salvador Jr.Lino Brocka achieved international acclaim with this candid portrait of 1970s Manila, a breakout example of the more serious-minded filmmaking the director had turned to after building a career...
