With the long weekend to commemorate National Heroes Day on August 31, there’s no better time to revisit some of our favorite historical films. Beyond the usual textbook accounts, we’ve rounded up a selection of historical biopics and films available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube. Featuring the men and women who’ve made an impact on our country while offering dramatized and different perspectives on our tumultuous history.
Jose Rizal (1998)
Directed by the National Artist for Film Marilou Diaz-Abaya, the critically acclaimed film recounts the life and works of Jose Rizal (played by Cesar Montano) through non-linear flashbacks. It shows his role as a writer, doctor, and activist, and how he fought for the country’s right to freedom until his execution during the colonization and abuse by the Spaniards.
Jose Rizal is currently streaming on Netflix.
GomBurZa (2023)
If Jose Rizal (1998) shows the revolutionary ideas that shaped the country’s national hero, GomBurZa goes back to the story that inspired those very ideas. The historical film, directed by Pepe Diokno, tells the martyrdom of three Catholic priests — Fr. Mariano Gomes (played by Dante Rivero), Fr. Jose Burgos (played by Cedrick Juan), and Fr. Jacinto Zamora (played by Enchong Dee), collectively known as GomBurZa — who were executed by Spanish authorities.
It tackles GomBurZa’s advocacy and fight for the secularization of the parishes and greater recognition of Filipino secular clergy until they were falsely accused of treason and sedition, which ultimately led to their execution by garrote. Their deaths later ignited the Philippine Revolution and inspired Rizal, who dedicated his second novel, El Filibusterismo, in their honor. Watch it on Netflix.
Heneral Luna (2015)
Jerrold Tarog’s Bayaniverse, a series of films depicting heroes, had Heneral Luna as its first installment. Released in 2015, the film shows Antonio Luna (played by John Arcilla) as he led the Philippine forces during the Philippine-American War. Arcilla delivers a powerful portrayal of Luna, depicting his fierceness and vulnerabilities.
His assassination at the hands of fellow Filipinos, due to betrayal and political rivalries, becomes the film’s tragic centerpiece. You can watch it on Prime Video.
Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018)
Serving as the sequel to Heneral Luna, Goyo follows Gregorio “Goyo” del Pilar (Paulo Avelino) through his leadership during the Philippine-American War. It picks up right after the events that transpired in the first film, shifting from Luna’s fiery attitude to the young general’s subdued and vulnerable blind loyalty. This definitely takes on a quieter and more reflective approach to the war and all its politics. It is available on Prime Video.
Quezon (2025)
The third installment of Jerrold Tarog’s Bayaniverse, the Quezon biopic boldly portrays the rise of former president Manuel L. Quezon (played by Jericho Rosales) as one of the country’s most influential political leaders. But rather than simply presenting Quezon as this widely recognized hero, it also examines his compromises, ambitions, and the controversies behind his leadership.
It provides an unflattering and complex portrayal of the man behind the name of Metro Manila’s biggest city and the face on the P20 coin. The film sparked controversy after Quezon’s descendants deemed that Tarog and his creatives weaponized history. Quezon is streaming on Prime Video.
Liway (2018)
Stirring away from national hero biopics, Liway is a biographical film about Dakip (the film’s director, Kip Oebanda) and his mother, Cecilia Oebanda, who was an anti-Marcos activist and became “Commander Liway.” The story opens up with a happy Dakip playing with other children, before it is later on revealed that they were inside jarred walls. The movie brilliantly tackles Kip and his family’s story as they struggle for survival inside prison and amid instability under Marcos’ dictatorship. Liway is available on YouTube.
BONUS: Sister Stella L (1984)
Loosely based on the lives of real nuns, Sister Stella L is a political drama directed by Mike de Leon and starring Vilma Santos. The story revolves around a non-political nun whose faith and perspective change after having confronted poverty, labor exploitation, and political repression during the final years of the Marcos dictatorship. It was inspired by real-life activist nuns during martial law, Sister Mary Rosario “Chayong” Battung and Sister Mary Pilar Versoza, who were heavily involved with the labor movement and social activism. They worked closely with the marginalized and the urban poor. You can watch Sister Stella L on YouTube.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GomBurZa refers to Fr. Mariano Gomes, Fr. Jose Burgos, and Fr. Jacinto Zamora, collectively known as GomBurZa, who were executed by garrote during the Spanish colonial period.
The film gained controversy after Quezon’s descendants deemed that Tarog and his creatives weaponized history for sales, as it provided an unflattering and complex portrayal of the hero.
Bayaniverse is a series of films directed by Jerrold Tarog depicting Philippine heroes.
Yes, Liway is based on Filipino director Kip Oebanda’s childhood in prison, alongside his mother, who was a rebel commander against the Marcos dictatorship.
It is inspired by real-life activist nuns, Sister Mary Rosario “Chayong” Battung and Sister Mary Pilar Versoza, who were heavily involved with the labor movement and social activism. They worked closely with the marginalized and the urban poor.
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