On August 18, National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee announced the release of his newest novel, Pinilakang Tabing.
The novel, according to Lee’s official announcement, will focus on how Philippine cinema, over the past 40 years, has affected the lives and relationships of the novel’s characters. Lee also released an excerpt from the novel on Facebook. The excerpt follows a character named Journey as he uses his hands to frame a scene of Nora Aunor being swarmed by fans in front of the Araneta Coliseum. But as he’s engrossed in this act of cinematic framing, an unnamed motorcycle rider comes closer and closer to Journey before drawing a gun against him:
“Napahawak si Journey sa kanyang ulo, at habang natutumba at umaagos na ang dugo mula sa kanyang katawan, habang nagsasalimbayan ang liwanag at dilim sa pagitan ng nag-uusyosong mga mukha sa itaas niya, naisip niya, pinatay ako ng pelikula.”
Pinilakang Tabing marks Lee’s return to novels since his 2024 release, Kalahating Bahaghari, which centers on the lived experiences of the Philippines’ LGBTQIA+ community. Lee has dedicated the last 50 years to producing books, films, and plays that have upheld an entire generation of Filipino storytellers. He has written over 180 produced film scripts, including the Ishmael Bernal-directed classic Himala, the Vilma Santos-led drama Anak, and the feminist coming-of-age film Moral. His literary work includes his gripping debut novel Para Kay B, the comedic tragedy Bahay ni Marta, and the scriptwriting manual Trip to Quiapo, among many more.
Pinilakang Tabing is available for pre-ordering starting August 18, either through here or here.
