Brocka X Bernal, a documentary on the life and work of Philippine National Artists for Film Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, is set to be screened on Aug. 8 at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
The film highlights the profound impact of the two legendary directors of Philippine cinema.
It provides a comprehensive portrait of the iconic auteurs as street parliamentarians. Their narratives battled political censorship, championed the rights of film workers, and demonstrated the power of artists in initiating social change.
The docu examines how the creative geniuses used Manila and its inhabitants as a milieu and character which greatly affected the lives of Filipinos living in the metropolis.
It further explores their influences through their major works, which projected critical reflections of the urban experience at that time: Brocka’s Maynila, Sa Kuko ng Liwanag (1975) and Bernal’s Manila by Night (1980).
A highlight is a series of intimate interviews with colleagues-turned-friends who knew them well: actors Gina Alajar, Bembol Roco, and Cherie Gil, as well as directors Joey Reyes, Peque Gallaga, and Mel Chionglo.
Brocka X Bernal premieres will premiere as part of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival 2024 of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
The piece, which runs for 42 minutes, was co-directed by screenwriter, director, and Carlos Palanca and Gawad CCP Para sa Sining Awardee Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., and award-winning filmmaker and writer Ida Anita del Mundo.
The film was produced by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Center for Campus Art (CCA) under its director and curator Architect Gerry Torres, in conjunction with the exhibition Brocka, Bernal, and the City.
