The Philippine cinema began on 31 August 1897, at the Salón de Pertierra, in Manila, with the introduction of the first moving images of the country. A Spaniard, Antonio Ramos, shot the local scenes the following year using the Lumière Cinematograph for the first time in a film.
Have you ever found a film so controversial that the President had to intervene to prevent it from being viewed by the public?
In a country so conservative and strict to its beliefs and behaviors, here are some of the most controversial Filipino movies of all time.
Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (1984)
This Lino Brocka movie is a life-threatening and inspired event in a seamless narrative that sadly inflamed the government. The story was written by Pete Lacaba and used as its title even the song " Bayan Ko," the title of which was a hymn for the murder of Ninoy Aquino. The film was delayed due to censorship. Sex scenes with live displays and clips of real protest were removed.
Bayan Ko was praised at Palm D'Or, where the movie industry voiced outrage at its censorship. Brocka was arrested for inciting sedition when he returned to the Philippines. Finally, it was screened a year later in the Philippines.
Live Show (2001)
This film by Jose Javier Reyes is famed by none but then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for being called "a well-manufactured soft porn movie." The live show, originally called Toro, represented the lives of poor people who had to use sexual acts to survive on stage. It is one of the few broadcast movies with complete nakedness. The President herself had to suspend the movie from airing in theaters after pressure from the Catholic Church. It sparked a debate between religion and freedom of expression. Although originally banned by the MTRCB, the title was changed, meaning pay-per-view sex.
Kinatay (2009)
This is an independent psychological thriller film, directed by Brillante Mendoza and composed by Armando Lao, which was internationally coproduced in 2009.
Mendoza is unapologetically graphical and depicts unfiltered gore and violence. It prompted Roger Ebert to say that it is Cannes' worst movie ever to show and concluded that it unites the audience. "Mendoza Poor knows that his strategy is alienating, his scenes unpleasant and painful and that his audience is recoiling," he said on his blog. But the legendary writer was not all agreed. Kinatay won several honors and several Best Director prizes for Mendoza about a policeman who is involved in the killing of a prostitute.
Hubad na Bayani (1977)
The movie features Ruben. a farmer who wants to spark enough money for the treatment of his sick mother, his sister's education, and his own marriage to Luisa. The story revolves in this regard. He and his family are exploited, harassed, and victims with the covetous landowners and loan sharks, and his modest dreams never come true. In 1977 the Gawad Urian Prize received Hubad na Bayani for Best Films, Screenplay, and Production Design. The film was also nominated for Best Director, Best Actor of Cinematography, and Best Supporting Actress. The Catholic Media Award was also won.
The title is recognized by UP students as the film which started UP Diliman's Oblation Run. Hubad na Bayani was a Martial Law film that depicted violations of human rights during the Marcos regime. The film was banned by President Ferdinand Marcos and a naked hero protest started that is now known as the Oblation Run.
Purgatoryo (2016)
"Purgatoryo" tells Ilyong's tale, a theft killed by police recently by the dead man. His story begins here - his death. Soon afterward, Violet, a greedy homosexual, rented out Simon's dead bodies to his funeral home, took his life to a funeral home. Jojo, a policeman under Simon's salary and supplying the dead bodies to Violet to care for and to get money from, is on this journey. Violet has two workers, On-on and Dyograd, who are cleaning and waking the cadavers. In the meantime, it doesn't feel alive for all its good appearances except when playing. On the other hand, Dyograd just feels alive if he has sex. Unhappiness and disorder follow shortly after the arrival of Ilyong.
After production director Roderick Cabrido has had to deal with many scandals, including a rumor of real bodies being used for filming. The scenes with necrophilia were however the most controversial.
