Manila in the Claws of Light
Filipino director Lino Brocka had already made a slew of films, which he later described as âsoapsâ, when he broke through to international acclaim in 1975 with the raw and realistic drama Manila in the Claws of Light. Many reviewers consider this unpolished portrait of the capital city Manila, based on Edgardo M. Reyesâ novel Manila in the Claws of Brightness, the best Philippine film ever made. A year later, Brocka reinforced his status with Insiang, a drama about the life of and young girl in the slums of Manila.
It is 1970: JĂșlio Madiaga, a young fisherman from the province, arrives in Manila to search for his girlfriend Ligaya. He hasn't heard from her since she was lured to the city by false promises. JĂșlio lands a job as a poorly paid construction worker and finds himself in a world where poverty, corruption and violence are commonplace. But what has happened to Ligaya?
Restored in 2013 by the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Cineteca di Bologna at LâImmagine Ritrovata laboratory, in association with The Film Foundationâs World Cinema Project , LVN, Cinema Artists Philippines and Mike De Leon. Restoration funded by Doha Film Institute.
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