Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):
SEPTEMBER 12, 1919
Dalagang Bukid, the first full-length Filipino produced and directed feature film premiered on September 12, 1919 at Teatro de la Comedia, and was later shown at the Empire Theater.
Produced and directed by Jose Nepomuceno, the silent film came with English, Spanish, and Tagalog subtitles.
It starred Atang de la Rama and Marceliano Ilagan. Atang had to sing live the theme song "Nabasag ang Banga" at the theatre's wing accompanied by the violin, cornet, and piano players and they had to do this every screening.
The film became a box office success in just a week of screening. Dalagang Bukid is an adaptation of Hermogenes Ilagan and Leon Ignacio's popular Tagalog zarzuela of the same title that starred both Atang and Marceliano.
It is a story of a young flower vendor, Angelita, and her childhood sweetheart, Cipriano. She is also the object of affection of Don Silvestre, a widower and a loan shark.
The Philippine government officially acknowledged Dalagang Bukid as the first Filipino produced and directed film through Proclamation No. 622 in 2018. It declared September 12, 2019 to September 11, 2020 as the centennial year of Philippine cinema.
Jose Nepomuceno was given the title as the Father of Philippine Movies while Honorata "Atang" de la Rama was proclaimed in 1987 as National Artist of the Philippines for Theatre and Music.
(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved
Photo credit: wikipedia.org
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