50 years ago, National Artist for Film Lino Brocka released Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, one of his most influential films. Told through the eyes of Julio (Bembol Roco), a young man searching for his lost love Ligaya (Hilda Koronel), the film delivered a searing portrait of poverty, exploitation, and corruption in urban Manila. Now, for one night only, audiences can experience this classic on the big screen, courtesy of the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) Film Center.
On July 16 — exactly 50 years since the film’s 1975 theatrical debut — the UPFI Film Center will host an intimate 4:00 p.m. screening at Cine Adarna, its in-house cinema. The event is open to the public and admission is free, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience this landmark of Philippine cinema on the big screen.
After its release, Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag went on to win a total of nine accolades at the 1976 FAMAS Awards, including Best Picture and Best Picture. In 2013, the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers named it the greatest Filipino film of all time, based on a poll of critics, filmmakers, archivists, academics, and film workers. The film was later restored by a partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the World Cinema Project, a restoration program led by Martin Scorsese’s nonprofit, the Film Foundation. This restored version of the film made its world premiere at the Classics section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
