I watched the restored version of Lino Brocka's Bona (2024)

I watched the restored version of Lino Brocka's Bona (1)

Last night I watched Bona, the closing film of this year’s Cinemalaya. Bona is not an entry but a classic movie recently restored and screened at the Cannes Film Festival. It’s a meaningful moment, as the movie premiered at the French festival 43 years ago.

National Artist Nora Aunor stars as the eponymous Bona, a young fan in love with a small-time actor named Gardo (played by Philip Salvador, who I’m sure was the gay awakening for many queer boys). Lino Brocka, who is also a National Artist, directed the film.

Last night’s screening was my first time watching Bona. The film was largely unseen after its release in 1980, but I saw the theatrical adaptation that the Philippine Educational Theater Association, or PETA, staged in 2012. Eugene Domingo played Bona, and she was incredible.

As expected, the film is breathtaking. The 4K quality does justice to Aunor’s beauty, which challenges conventional standards. In 1970, Nick Joaquin (the third National Artist to be mentioned here) wrote, “Nora Aunor has broken the color line in Philippine movies, where the rule used to be that heroines must be fair of skin and chiseled of profile. Though neither fair nor statuesque, Nora has bloomed into a beauty and all the more fascinating because it’s not standard.”

I watched the restored version of Lino Brocka's Bona (2)

In Bona, we also got a taste of Aunor’s “mata-mata acting,” where she expresses so many emotions with her doe-like eyes without uttering a single word. An excellent example is 1978’s Ikaw ay Akin, where Aunor and Vilma Santos share a 3-minute and 49-second scene where so much is said, but only with their eyes. Not a single line was heard.

It’s great that they screened Bona at one of the most important film festivals in the world, but I’m happy that it’s also available for Filipinos to watch. My hope now is for the movie to have additional screenings outside a posh mall chain so more people can watch it. It’s a wonderful movie that is part of our rich cinematic history.

Golden age of Philippine cinema

The era of Brocka, Mike de Leon, Ishmael Bernal, Celso Ad. Castillo, Peque Gallaga, and Mario O’Hara is considered as the second golden age of Philippine cinema.

This era saw movies like Himala, Manila by Night, Sister Stella L., Oro, Plata, Mata, and many other classic films.

Brocka alone has outstanding films, like Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag and Insiang. Insiang was restored in 2015 and also screened at Cannes. It’s a fantastic revenge film.

De Leon’s Kisapmata is another classic that I love. The psychological horror is an adaptation of Joaquin’s “The House on Zapote Street,” included in his excellent collection of short stories Reportage on Crime, written under the nom de plume Quijano de Manila.

Kisapmata follows a controlling father who loses his temper when his daughter wants to marry and leave the household. The movie is considered a pioneer in the genre and was screened at Cannes, along with de Leon’s Batch ‘81 (another great film).

Kisapmata is currently available to stream on YouTube. I will revisit the short story and the movie, especially since Tanghalang Pilipino (TP) announced they will adapt the story to the stage. Alas, the stage adaptation will be in March next year, so there will be quite a long wait. In the meantime, TP will adapt National Artist F. Sionil’s Jose’s Tree into a play called Balete (September to October) and Dr. Luis Gatmaitan’s Sandosenang Sapatos (November to December).

Continuing the tradition

I watched the restored version of Lino Brocka's Bona (4)

Besides these restored classics, I’m also happy that a new generation of filmmakers is continuing the tradition of creating great movies. We’ve had films like Die Beautiful, Vince and Kath and James (yes), On the Job, Honor Thy Father, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, Bliss, Six Degrees of Separation From Lilia Cuntapay, Ekstra, That Thing Called Tadhana, and Quick Change.

I watched the restored version of Lino Brocka's Bona (5)

Even the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which some people think is a joke because of its cash-grab titles, is improving its lineup. We had Mallari, Gomburza, and Becky & Badette just last year.

In 2017, the Museum of Modern Art declared the period from 2000 to the present the third golden age of Philippine cinema. The museum cited the works of Lav Diaz, Brillante Mendoza, Raya Martin, Ditsi Carolino, and Erik Matti as representative of this new era.

I hope to see more Filipino movies, whether restored classics or new ones. I also hope we continue supporting Philippine cinema, as our support encourages filmmakers to create more.

I watched the restored version of Lino Brocka's Bona (2024)
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