UP Film Institute & ABS-CBN Restoration's Tribute/Screening Of Three Gov. Vilma Santos Films A Big Success

WE ATTENDED the Vilma Santos retrospective of the UP Film Institute, “Ate Vi X 3”, last Thursday with the special screening of the restored versions of three acclaimed Ate Vi films: “Anak” (2000), “Kapag Langit ang Humatol” (1990), and “Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?” (1998). ABS-CBN Film Archives & Restoration headed by Leo Katigbak should be commended for their expert work in restoring modern classics like these films. So far, they’ve already restored 72 films like award winners “Ganito Kami Noon” and “Oro Plata Mata” and you can download them all on iTunes or watch them on pay per view or video on demand.

In “Kapag Langit”, Laurice Guillen’s well directed melodrama about a housemaid’s revenge on the former mistress who oppressed her, Ate Vi and Tita Gloria Romero demonstrate why they’re two of the country’s best and most enduring movies queens in their last scene together, where Tita Glo asks for forgiveness and Ate Vi finally gives it. And Ate Vi looks so beautiful (especially at the final scene) with Carmina Villaroel by the lake. Carmina is so neneng-nene in this movie and her love interest, Jeffrey Santos, looks totoy na totoy, so slim and slender.

But the best film of the evening is undoubtedly the award-winning film version of the classic novel by Lualhati Bautista (she also wrote the script and Ate Vi made a special mention of her in her speech before the screening) about woman empowerment at UP Film Institute. Ate Vi won several best actress awards for her portrayal of the lead character, the feisty and earthy Lea Bustamante, including the Brussels International Filmfest plum. Ate Vi got a standing ovation in the screening, which she really deserves.

Ate Vi as Lea is a single working mom with two children, Carlo Aquino and Serena Dalrymple (who also both won acting awards for their performances here), who have different dads. Carlo’s dad is Ariel Rivera, who wants to take him abroad, while Serena’s dad is Albert Martinez, a mama’s boy. Lea has a new friend in Raymond Bagatsing, with whom she works in a human rights non-government agency. The film has not lost its sting in showing the difficulties a woman faces in her various capacities as a wife and mother, pressured by her men to be a stay-at-home mom but also wants to cultivate her own career in helping abused women. She is very outspoken and can be too honest and candid for comfort. Ate Vi certainly nailed the role of Lea perfectly and it’s a testament to her greatness as an actress.

 As Leo Katigbak of ABS-CBN Film Archives proclaim: “She is probably the closest we have to a Meryl Streep.” Vilmanians were there in full force and they have reason to gloat sa Ate Vi is the only actress given this kind of honor by UP Film Institute and ABS-CBN. Ate Vi is also the first UP Gawad Plaridel Awardee for Film and the UP Film Institute’s Diwata Awardee for Distinguished Achievement in Women’s Cinema. Shown during the retrospective is the trailer of Ate Vi’s 1982 movie with Ate Guy, “T Bird at Ako”, their last work together. Honestly, watching the two of them together on the big screen gave us goose pimples and we can’t wait for its screening at UP Film Institute on February 25.