History of Film In The Philippines

History of Filipino Film

Filipinos have been movie lovers ever since the Spaniards settled, it’s no surprise that movies have been in Philippines for quite a long time since it has been the 2^nd Asian country to be introduced to film, India being 1^st. It was first introduced by the Spaniards who first used film to document natives and feature stories about Filipino culture. By the time Americans came, documentations still continued mostly to document war, the era was also a start for producing films based on Philippine history and on various Filipino cultures (not only in Manila). The subject for filmmaking changed when World War II began; it was anti-Japanese, it exposed violence and promoted national pride. When Philippines finally gained independence from colonizing countries, Filipino movies started to bloom, although others started to fall, but still more films were being produced making it more extravagant.

During the Spanish era, documentaries were being made about the ways of The Philippine people; its culture and its war with revolution. During the Spanish times, there were still a lot of restrictions and censorship being made during the conservative times.

Censorship didn’t change much during the colonization by Americans, as my summary of Ordinance No. 166 (Manila 1912), it is illegal to show murder, theft, divorce, adultery, seduction, double life. Documentaries about Philippine culture still continues, and same goes about war, both Spanish-American and Philippine-American. Battles about war in the Philippines were first shot in California, having African Americans play the role of Filipinos. Movies were then introduced to Filipinos by the Americans, military men would build movie houses, the first modern movie being built by Albert Yearsely in 1909, named “The Majestic”. Yearsley soon became a producer and made his own film manufacturing company. A competing company of Yearsley, Zarzuela Company, owned by Edward Meyer Gross, made the country’s first full-length film in 1912, which was entitled “La Vida Dr. Jose Rizal”.

More and more Filipino films popped up and expanded, it produced various props, posters, songbooks, newspapers and magazines. Movies were also featured later as stories and vice versa. When World War II began, films were focused on the brutality of the Japanese, although not so many were made since it was prohibited during the invasion.

By the end of World War II, Filipino films continued to flourish, more films were made and genres were starting to expand. Action, romance and drama seemed to be the favourite, and then comes comedy
and horror.