SISTER STELLA L @ 25: Tuloy ang Pakikibaka!
Quarter of a century later, the rage of Sister Stella L remains as pertinent as when it was released in 1984. The proof, alas, is in the death toll. To date, 850 mainstream journalists and other public figures have been killed in the name of the Philippine government’s 2001 "War on Terrorism" campaign. Human rights violations number to 169,530 individuals, 18,515 families, 71 communities, and 196 households. One person is killed every three days.
The terror of Sister Stella L knows no boundaries, not even the four corners of the silver-screen. It is real and present. And we live it.
Thus, with urgency, the University Film Institute of the Philippines and the Vilma Santos Solid International celebrates the 25th anniversary of Sister Stella L with a screening in the UP Cine Adarna on March 20, 5pm. The event will also feature an exhibition of production memorabilias and a forum with the esteemed cast and crew, including Governor Vilma Santos.
Directed by Mike De Leon and written by Pete Lacaba and Jose Almojuela, Sister Stella L tells of the socio-political awakening of a nun (Vilma Santos) as she helped workers on strike against an oil factory in Barrio Agoho ran by an abusive administration. Cautious, Sister Stella’s enlightenment was hastened upon witnessing the torture of political leader Ka Dencio (Tony Santos).
The strength of the film Sister Stella L lies in the nuanced study of the transformation of a common citizen. Beyond the blatant display of rarara activism, it reveals and resolves layers of conflict of Sister Stella: as a nun committed to serving God, as a woman struggling to reconcile feelings for an ex-lover, and as a citizen slowly seeing the truths of a brutal system.
Simply put, Sister Stella is everyone of us, in various shades of restlessness from living in a system that has consistently let its people down. Mike De Leon’s masterpiece is not so much an invitation to see a well-crafted film but a call to action. For really, the film is just a mirror of our realities. And Sister Stella L makes us turn the other way around, so we can start seeing, from reel to real, with eyes wide open.
Quarter of a century later, the rage of Sister Stella L remains as pertinent as when it was released in 1984. The proof, alas, is in the death toll. To date, 850 mainstream journalists and other public figures have been killed in the name of the Philippine government’s 2001 "War on Terrorism" campaign. Human rights violations number to 169,530 individuals, 18,515 families, 71 communities, and 196 households. One person is killed every three days.
The terror of Sister Stella L knows no boundaries, not even the four corners of the silver-screen. It is real and present. And we live it.
Thus, with urgency, the University Film Institute of the Philippines and the Vilma Santos Solid International celebrates the 25th anniversary of Sister Stella L with a screening in the UP Cine Adarna on March 20, 5pm. The event will also feature an exhibition of production memorabilias and a forum with the esteemed cast and crew, including Governor Vilma Santos.
Directed by Mike De Leon and written by Pete Lacaba and Jose Almojuela, Sister Stella L tells of the socio-political awakening of a nun (Vilma Santos) as she helped workers on strike against an oil factory in Barrio Agoho ran by an abusive administration. Cautious, Sister Stella’s enlightenment was hastened upon witnessing the torture of political leader Ka Dencio (Tony Santos).
The strength of the film Sister Stella L lies in the nuanced study of the transformation of a common citizen. Beyond the blatant display of rarara activism, it reveals and resolves layers of conflict of Sister Stella: as a nun committed to serving God, as a woman struggling to reconcile feelings for an ex-lover, and as a citizen slowly seeing the truths of a brutal system.
Simply put, Sister Stella is everyone of us, in various shades of restlessness from living in a system that has consistently let its people down. Mike De Leon’s masterpiece is not so much an invitation to see a well-crafted film but a call to action. For really, the film is just a mirror of our realities. And Sister Stella L makes us turn the other way around, so we can start seeing, from reel to real, with eyes wide open.
25TH YEAR COMMEMORATION OF SISTER STELLA L. AT UP FILM INSTITUTE
The year was 1984 when director Mike de Leon made one of the most important films in Philippine Cinema. It was Sister Stella L., the Vilma Santos starrer that showcased the latter’s acting versatility. It was just the turn of the decade when she made a daring transformation in Burlesk Queen, and her turnaround debut this time in a nun’s role proved to be one of her finest.
Sister Stella L. defied certain taboos during the last years of the Marcos regime by dealing with explosive issues like labor unrest and repression of the media. Mike de Leon’s first explicitly political film done after Benigno Aquino’s assasination, was also Regal Films’ first and last serious political film to date. It eventually served as an impetus for the 1986 EDSA uprising.
The film won 10 Urians for the year 1984, including best picture, director, screenplay, actor (Jay Ilagan), actress (Vilma Santos), supporting actor (Tony Santos), supporting actress (Laurice Guillen), music, editing and sound. It was chosen as one of Urian’s 10 best films of the 1980s. It also won best picture and director awards from the Film Academy of the Philippines and Star Awards and was in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
Catch the rare chance of seeing Sister Stella L. again on the big screen on March 20, 2009, 5pm at the Cine Adarna in UP Diliman. There will also be a forum with the cast and crew (with 2005 Gawad Plaridel Awardee Vilma Santos-Recto in attendance) and an exhibit of priceless film memorabilia. Tickets for the event is sold at 50 pesos each. For inquries, you may call or text Ramil at 0918-8071978.
