The European Film Import

The import of film in the Philippines has been brought here by a Spanish soldier named Carlo Naquera. Going here, he has brought a device called a cinematographe made the Lumiere brothers. Along with it, he has also brought several Spanish movies and showed them to Filipinos during 1897. When all the movies have been shown, he decided to film Filipinos in their everyday life. Filipinos watching these film were then impressed and loved this new form of media. After the Spanish have left the country and the Americans replaced them, they then showed American movies around places like Escolta and Intramuros during the early 90s. Throughout time, Filipinos have learned using and making films such as those showed to them by previous colonizers, making the very first Filipino-produced film called, "Dalagang Bukid" made by Jose Nepomuceno. The movie was a movie adaptation of a stage play made by Hermogenes Ilagan. Because of this, Jose Nepomuceno has ever since been given the title "Father of Philippine Cinema." As time passed, Filipinos have used film in other ways, such as a way of protest during the Marcos period, and film is still being enjoyed by citizens today, along with locally-organized film festivals and competitions.

Pictures:

cinematographe, invented by the Lumiere brothers

Jose Nepomuceno, Father of Philippine Cinema

a scene from "Dalagang Bukid"