Mike de Leon

Signos (1984) is a Super 8mm film documentary that was a true product of its time, a collaboration by film artists and writers, who, in spite of varying political persuations, were united by one common goal – ousting the reviled Marcos regime. It features interviews of courageous personalities who challenged the autocratic rule of the Marcos family.

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In 1988 and 1989, the late Cesar Hernando, writer Ian Victoriano and I started a series of interviews of LVN actors, directors and technicians with the intention of publishing a book on the story of LVN Pictures, one of the major studios of the studio era. One of our interviewees was the great character actor, Joseph de Cordova. In 2006 I made a short documentary using excerpts from that thoroughly engaging interview and included it as an added feature to the privately authored DVD of “Biyaya ng Lupa,” where Joseph plays Bruno, one of the actor’s most memorable roles.

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Two filmmakers try to create a film venturing on the life of Jose Rizal. Before they do that, they try to investigate on the heroism of the Philippine national hero. Of particular focus is his supposed retraction of his views against the Roman Catholic Church during the Spanish regime in the Philippines which he expressed primarily through his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The investigation was done mainly by "interviewing" key individuals in the life of Rizal such as his mother Teodora Alonso, his siblings Paciano, Trinidad, and Narcisa, his love interest and supposed wife Josephine Bracken, and the Jesuit priest who supposedly witnessed Rizal's retraction, Fr. Balaguer. Eventually, the two filmmakers would end up "interviewing" Rizal himself to get to the bottom of the issue.

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An Asian anthology: Mirage, Aliwan Paradise, The Tree Of Life, and The Tokyo Game.

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Mike De Leon's entry into the omnibus "Southern Winds" where he follows Julio Madiaga into the new world of Filipino Entertainment.

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Mike de Leon's only video feature to date, a personalized adaptation of John Fowles' chilling The Collector.

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Noel struggles to accept his father's remarriage to Agnes and the arrival of his step-sister, Melody. The two grow up harboring a bitter hatred for each other. When their parents die, Noel becomes Melody's legal guardian, much to her dismay. Later, each now married, the two become business partners and eventually grow closer.

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A nun who acts as a counselor in a home for unwed mother undergoes political awakening when her friend and namesake belonging to the same congregation as hers inspires her to get involved in the struggle for justice and freedom of striking workers in a cooking oil company.

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Sid Lucero, a 21-year old pre-Med student, is an aspiring neophyte of the Alpha Kappa Omega fraternity. Over a six-month initiation period, he and six other neophytes are subjected to severe physical and psychological torture in and outside the fraternity house.

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A young womans gets married but her possessive father refuses to let her out of his sight.

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In a spoof on the contemporary sacred cons, two yuppy couples get entangled with warring smugglers of dope that include fake priests and nuns as well as Japanese and Chinese agents.

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A coming-of-age story of college student Joey, who's lost all sense of direction. His only inspiration is music, but he is yet to finish writing a song. His life changes when he meets Ana and his world is suddenly turned upside-down.

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During a return to his provincial home, a young man gets involved with a woman who is ultimately possessed by her sister's spirit, paving the way to revealing the painful truth about her unsolved disappearance.

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Mike de Leon's short film from 1975, partially lost.

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A man rides a motorcycle at night. His lover waits for him at home.

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Mike de Leon's only video feature to date, a personalized adaptation of John Fowles' chilling The Collector.

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A nun who acts as a counselor in a home for unwed mother undergoes political awakening when her friend and namesake belonging to the same congregation as hers inspires her to get involved in the struggle for justice and freedom of striking workers in a cooking oil company.

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Sid Lucero, a 21-year old pre-Med student, is an aspiring neophyte of the Alpha Kappa Omega fraternity. Over a six-month initiation period, he and six other neophytes are subjected to severe physical and psychological torture in and outside the fraternity house.

Open details →

A young womans gets married but her possessive father refuses to let her out of his sight.

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In a spoof on the contemporary sacred cons, two yuppy couples get entangled with warring smugglers of dope that include fake priests and nuns as well as Japanese and Chinese agents.

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Flashbacks encompass the history of the Philippines as well as the life story of the elderly Daniel Aguila. The Aguila family gathers to celebrate Daniel's 88th birthday, but the old man is nowhere to be seen--he has been missing for a decade. Suspecting that his father is in Mindanao, one of his sons takes off for that region in a determined search. Along the way, his memories of the nation and his father's life tell the story of 80 tumultuous years of personal and historical development.

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A coming-of-age story of college student Joey, who's lost all sense of direction. His only inspiration is music, but he is yet to finish writing a song. His life changes when he meets Ana and his world is suddenly turned upside-down.

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Julio, a young fisherman from a provincial village, descends into social alienation as he arrives in Manila to search for his loved one.

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Making-of documentary about Lino Brocka's 1975 film "Manila in the Claws of Light," featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

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A compilation of film clips featuring dance and song performances culled from various films of the so-called big three - Sampaguita, LVN, Premiere.

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