I nt r oduct i on Fi l msi nt he Phi l i ppi ne c ul t ur e,b yi t sn at ur eo fi n vol v i ng t he au di enc ei n an emo t i on aland i n t el l e ct u alj o ur n ey ,h av eb ec omeo neo ft hemo stpr e v al e nto ft h e ma ssme me di aa ndar t s .I th asbe en wi d el yu s eda sme an sofe nt er t a i n me me nti nt h ec ou nt r y .Th ef o r mat i v ey e ar so ft h e Ph i l i p pi n ec i n ema d ur i n gt he19 30 swe r et h et i med edi c at e di ndi s c ov e r i ngfil mg enr easame di u mo fa r t .Du r i ngt h e1 94 0s , mo v i e st h e me me spr i ma r i l ys h o wc a s ewa ra n dh e r o i s m.Th e nc a met me h e1 9 5 0swh e np e o pl es a wt h efi r s t g ol d e na ge o fPh i l i p pi n ec i n e ma a ma l o ng wi t ht h ee me me r g en c eo fn e wfi l mma k e r s ,t e c h ni q ue s ,a ndfi r s t a wa r dg i v i n gb od i esfi r s te s t a bl i s he dt h i st i me .Th e1 97 0san d19 80 sh av ec ha ng edf o l l o wi n gt h eMar t i al L aw Er awh enma ssme me di awa su nd erc o nt r olo ft h ep r es i d en ta ndwh enn at i o nal i s t i can dp ol i t i c alfi l ms a r ec o ns i d er e ds ub v er s i v e .Th i ser ah asal s os t r e ngt h en edt h ed ev e l o pmen to fe r o t i can di n de pe nd en t fi l ms .Thes ey ear shav eal s opr oduc edas pot l i ghtt ooneoft hegr eat es tFi l i pi nodi r ec t or s ,Li noBr oc k a. Cat al i no“ Li no”Br oc k awasbor nonApr i l 3,1939i nPi l ar ,Sor s ogon.Asac hi l di nhi spuber t yag e, h e wa si mp r e s s edb yt h eh ap py e nd i n gso fu s ua lAme r i c a nfi l msd ur i n gt h et u r b ul e nty e ar sf o l l o wi n g Wo r l dWa rI Ian dPh i l i p pi neI n de pe nde nc e.Hi sf a t h erRe gi n oBr o ck a,wh oh ast au gh th i mi nt h es e v er a l s ubj ec t s ,wasex ec ut edi napol i t i c al mur derwhenhewass t i l l y oung.Af t ert hatt r agi chappeni ng,hegr ew upunderhi saunt i e ’ shous eh ol dt o ge t herwi t hhi smo t herandbr o t her ,wh er et hei rf ami l ysuff er edf r om p hy s i c ala nd v e r b ala bu se f r om t h ei rr e l at i v e s .Asa c hi l d ,Br o ck ah asa l r e ad ye x pe r i e nc e dd i ff er e nt obs t ac l esi nl i f east heywer eal s of or c edt odohar dl abor . Br oc k aent er edt heUni v er s i t yoft h ePhi l i ppi nesasas c hol arandawor k i ngs t udent .Hefi r s tt ook upapr el a wc our s ebef or es hi f t i n gt os t udy i ngL i t er at ur e.Seek i ngt obei n v ol v edi ndr amaandt heat r e, Br oc kaj oi nedt heDr amat i cCl ubbuthewascr i t i c i z edf orhi spoorEngl i s hs ki l l sandpr ov i nc i al ac centand p eo pl et r ea t e dh i mp oo r l yan da ss i g ne dh i mt oc l e ar i n gt h es t a gean dmo v i n gs e t s . Cat al i no“ Li no”Br oc k ai soneoft hegr eat es tdi r ec t or sknowni nt hehi s t or yofPhi l i ppi nec i nema. Hi sfi l ms r e v ol v e ar o un dt h es u bj ec to fs o c i a lj u st i c ea nd i te x p l or e dt h el i v e so ft h os e wh o wer e mar gi nal i z eda ndi g nor edasi tai mst obr i ngc ons c i ous nes st ot her eal i t yt hathasbeenha ppeni ngi nt he c o un t r yd ur i n gh i st i me .Be f o r et e ac h i n gi n Ha wa i i ,Br o c k as t u di e dt ob e a Mo r mo n mi s s i o na r ya nd wor k edwi t hhomel es si nSanFr anc i s c o.Af t err et ur ni ngt ot hePhi l i ppi nesi nhi sl at eT went i es ,hes t ar t ed embar k i ngo nwr i t i nganddi r ec t i n gf orPhi l i ppi neEd uc at i onThe at erAs s oc i at i on.Be caus eofc ens or s hi p t h ate me me r ge ddu r i n gt h eMar t i a lL awp er i o d,s omeo fh i sfi l mswe r es mu mu ggl e do uto ft h ePh i l i p pi n es .Th e v i gi l anc ei nc ens or s hi pc ont i nu ed o nt he p os t Mar c osper i od a nd Br oc k a,s t i l ldi s appoi nt ed wi t ht he p r e s en tg o v e r n me me nt ,c o nt i n ue dt op r o du c efi l msc r i t i c a lt ot h eg ov e r n me me nt .Hi sfi l mswe r er e no wn ed i nt er nat i onal l yandl oc al l yasi tbaggeds ev er al awar ds . Hy po t he s i s Ac c or di ngt oFr anc oi sT r u ffaut ,t hec r eat i v ev i s i onorper s pec t i v eofadi r ec t ori sbes tex pr es s edi n mak i ngfi l ms .Thus ,hec l ai medt hatt h edi r ec t ors ho ul dt h er ef or ebec ons i der edast heaut horo ft hefi l m. Au t e uri saF r e nc hwo r dwh i c hme an s“ a ut h or ”a ndT r u ff au ta dd e dt h a tad i r e c t o ru s e sac a me me r at o pr od uc efi l msasawr i t erus esape nt oc r eat eano v el .Al t houg hi nfi l mmak i ng,i ti sk nownt hatt h er ei sa c ol l abor at i on be t wee nt he di r ec t or ,a c t or s ,wr i t er ,p r o duc er sand t he c r ew,a c c or di ng t oT r uff autt he d i r e ct o ri smo mo s ts ui t a bl ea st h ea ut h ora sh ei st h eo newh og ui d est h efl o w ofma ki n gt h efi l m,f r o mt h e s c r i ptun t i lt hec ompl et i on.Howe v er ,n otal ldi r ec t or sar ec ons i der e da sanaut eur .AsAndr ew Sar r i s de v el opedt h eaut eurt heor ybypoi n t i ngoutt hr eemaj orpr emi s eswhi c hwi l l d et er mi newhet herdi r ec t ori s c o ns i de r e da sa na ut e ur .T ob er e ga r d eda sa na ut e ur ,t h ed i r e ct o rs h oul dh av ee no ug hk n owl e dg e,s k i l l s a nd p r a c t i c ei nfi l mma k i n g ,h e / s h e mu s th a v ea s i g n at u r e wh i c hi so b s er v e dt h r o ug ht h ee mi mi n en t per s onal i t yandr ec ur r i ngv i s ual orar t i s t i cs t y l esar es howni nt hei rfi l msandl as t l y ,t hei nt er i ormeani ngof
wh yhi s / h erp er s onal e x per i enc esaff ec t shi scr eat i v i t yi nmak i ngfi l ms .Thi sl e av esust oqu es t i onwhet her o rn otL i n oBr o ck ac anbec on si d er edasa na ut eu r . Gi v ent h atLi n o Br oc k ai sc ons i d er edast h e gr eat es tdi r ec t ort hePhi l i ppi n esh aspr oduc ed,i t c l e ar l yi mp l i est h ath ei mb i b est e ch ni c alc omp et e nc ya ndh i sp as s i o nf o rfi l mma ki n gi sn ot a bl ei nh i s j our neyasadi r ec t orashehasdev el opedas t r ongi nt er es ti nfi l mss i nc ehi sy out handhehass t r uggl eda l otr eac hi ngt hes uc c es shehadac hi e vedasadi r ec t or .Br oc ka’ sl i f ewasf ul loft r agedi esandc hal l enges ashehasgonet hr oughal otf r om hi sc hi l dh oodt oh i sad ul tl i f e,ashel i v eddur i ngt heMar c osandpos t Mar c osper i od.Thus ,t hi sl e dt her es ear c her st ot hi nkt hathi sfi l msar ei ns pi r edf r om hi se xp er i enc esas hi schos ent hemeofhi sfil mswer et her eal i t yofs oc i al i nj us t i c esandt hemar gi nal i z ed.Thus ,hi ssi gnat ur e wo ul db es e ent hr o ug hh owh ewo ul dvi s ua l i z et h es et h emeswh i c hwo ul dmar khi si de nt i t yasad i r e ct or . Wi t ht hat ,i ti sourhy pot hes i st hatLi noBr oc k ai scons i der edasanaut eur . Ana l y si s Li noBr oc kahasbeenoneoft hegr eat es tdi r ec t or si nt hehi s t or yofPhi l i ppi nesCi nema.I nt hefi r s t pr emi s eoft heAut eurt heor y ,t ec hni c alc ompet enc ei st hec r i t er i onofv al ueofadi r ec t or .T oda y ,an yone c anbet hed i r ec t orb utt heac t ualc hal l eng ei st obeag oo d di r ec t ora ndmas t ert ec hni c al i t i esi nt he pr oduc t i onoffi l ms .Br oc kai ssai dt obeagr eatdi r ec t orbec aus eofhi sgr eatabi l i t yt oc r eat efi l msi ns uc h awa yt hatt he yar ed i s t i nc ta ndmadepr of es s i onal l y .I nwat c hi ngt het hr e efi l ms Ma ni l ai nt h eCl a wsof Li ght( 1 9 7 5 ) ,I n si a ng( 1 9 7 6 ) ,an dOr ap r o no bi s“ Fi g htf o rUs ”( 1 98 9) ,i ts h owe dh ow Br o c k ae x hi b i t e d t e c hn i c a lc o mp et e nc ei n ma k i n gh i sfi l msi ns u c h a wa yt h att h er ei sma s t e r yi nt e c hn i c a l i t i e sa nd pr od uc t i onoft h et o t al i t yoft hefi l ms uc hasci nemat o gr a ph ywhi c hmak eshi mr i ght f ult obec al l edt he aut horordi r ec t orofhi sfil ms . Hi sc amer as ho t sar ed on en ea t l yno tj u s tf o rt h es ak eoffi l mi n ga ndma ki n gasc en e,b uth ea l s o ma k ess u r et h ati ti sa r t i s t i c al l yd on ea nd wo ul d ma t c ht h e mo od o ft h es c en e.On eo fh i sf a v or i t e t e ch ni q uesi nc i ne ma t o gr a ph yi sh i sdo l l yz o om a ndc l o se u ps h ot si nwi t hhi sc ha r ac t e r s .Th ez oo mi n s s c e ne sa r ep r e c i s e l yd on e wi t h ou ta wk wa r ds t o psa ndg l i t c h esi nz o omi n gi na ndo uto ft h es c r e en . Br o c k ak n owsr e al l ywe l lo nwh enh es h ou l du s ed ol l yz o omst oe mp ha s i z eac e r t a i ne mo t i o no rc r i t i c a l p oi n ti nt h es t o r ya nd n ott oj u s tmer e l yp er f o r m ad i ff er e ntc a me r at e ch ni q ue .He s k i l l f u l l yd oe s es t a bl i s hi ngs hot swhi c hmat c hest heset t i ngt hatwo ul dr eal l ymak et h ea udi enc ed et er mi net h epl ac eor s i t uat i onoft hes t or y .Wec ons i derBr oc k aasagr eatdi r ec t ort hate xhi bi t st ec hni c al c ompet enc ebec aus e hehast hes ki l l f ulabi l i t yt hatmak esagr eatdi r ec t ora ndhehast heabi l i t yt oputac er t ai nfi l mt oget her wi t hc l ar i t yandc oher enc ewi t ht hes t or yt ak i ngi nc ons i der at i ont ec hni c al i t i esi npr oduc t i on. The second premise of the Auteur theory involves the signature or style of the director that is uniquely his. There are certain techniques the Lino Brocka uses in such a way that gives no room for doubt that the lm was made by him. For instance he is fond of using long establishing shots in his lms! opening credits as shown in Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag, Insiang, and Orapronobis. The shots he uses in his opening lms always relates to the movie in one way or another. The black"and"white shots used in # Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag” showed an early morning in $anila with people and shops opening up as the day begins to get busy and it is implied that the place shown in the shots is where %ulio the main character goes to look for a &ob. Insiang!s opening credits showed the slum area where 'nsiang and her mother lived and although the opening credits for “OraProNobis” was shown later than the other lms Lino Brocka used various shots showing crowded places and shots depicting various situations after the $arcos regime. (is usage of establishing shots as part of the opening credits gives his viewers an idea as to where and when the story is set.
'n his works tracking shots are most often used to depict a change in his character!s mindset or attitude towards something or someone. 'n “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag,” the shot was used near the end of the lm after %ulio visited Ligaya!s wake. (ere one can see the change come over %ulio from being a simple probinsyano hoping to nd and save the girl he loved to someone who is lled with so much grief and anger that he decides to kill Ah Tek " the source of Ligaya!s su)ering. 'n “Insiang,” one can see the tracking shot was used to show 'nsiang on her way home after spending the night with Bebot and hinted at how she became determined to use *ado as an instrument of revenge against Bebot who left her after he got what he wanted from her. (er character walked with sure steps and with an air of determination. Also The background music in Lino Brocka!s lms are used mostly in scenes where there is no dialogue " be it an establishing shot a highly dramatic or suspense"lled moment and in scenes lled with dialogue any form of background music is absent. +,treme -oom ins on a character!s face is another characteristic that is common in Lino Brocka!s lms he mostly uses these shots to focus on a character!s emotion and facial e,pression especially the e,pression in their eyes. 'n # Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag” the most memorable ones happened during the scene where Ligaya tells the %ulio the story of what happened to her after she came to $anila the camera -oomed in on her face twice the rst -oom in was when she got up from the bed to take a drag the side view prole of her face is presented showing a troubled e,pression on Ligaya!s face as she recounts the events that inspired after being presented to Ah Tek. The ne,t one shows the re/ection of Ligaya!s face wiping tears from her face as she told %ulio about how Ah Tek gave her an ultimatum0 to be his whore or to be a whore in the brothel. At the ending of the movie was also another e,treme close"up shot of the lower half of %ulio!s face while he screams in terror and the mob is about to descend on him. (is lms also mostly end with open"ended situations and a cli)hanger like in Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag wherein %ulio is being chased by a mob and ends up being cornered the lm &ust ends in %ulio!s scream of terror. 'n “Insiang,” the story ended after 'nsiang admitted to her mother that she wanted her mom to kill *ado and that she never loved him the screen cuts to black after showing 'nsiang!s mother silently crying while watching her daughter walk away. 'n “OraProNobis,” the story ends after 1alvador calls *iego meaning to &oin the resistance again. 2ith all these elements present in Lino Brocka!s movies it can then be said the does indeed have his own ti sev i denti nLi noBr oc ka ’ sfil mshowhi sper s onalmat t er saff ec thi s style and signature in directing. I c r eat i v i t yi nmak i nghi swor k s .Af t erwat c hi ngt hr eeofhi sfil mswhi c har e“Mayni l asaKukongLi wanag” ( Mani l a:I nt heCl awsofLi ght ) 19 76 ,“ I ns i ang” ,a l s op r o duc e di nt hesa mey ea r ,an d“Or a pr o no bi s ”( Fi ght f o rUs ) ,i tr e mi n de dusho wh i sl i f eh adb ee nb ac ki nt h os ey e ar sa saDi r ec t o r .Ass t a t e da bo v e,b ac k wh enh ewa sy o u ng ,h i sf a t h erwa se x e c u t e di nap ol i t i c a lmu r d erwh enh ewa sy o u ng ,a n dwh ent h e y l i v edwi t ht hei rr el at i v es ,t he ywer emal t r eat edands uff er edv er b ala ndph ys i c al ab us ef r om t hem.Thati s why , anal y zi ngt hes e3fi l ms ,t hei nt er i ormeani ngoft hedi r ec t ori sev i dentt hr oughhi sfil ms . Fi r s t ,f ort hefi l m“ Mayni l asaKukongLi wanag” –t hemai nc har ac t er s ,J ul i oandLi ga y a,wentt o Mani l ai nhopesofgi v i ngt hei rs e l fandf ami l yaweal t h yl i f e,butwhatt heybel i ev edt obel uc k,i sj us t mer el yani l l us i on.Thi sr efl ec t edonLi noBr oc k a’ sl i f ewhenhewentt oHa wai it ot r yhi sl uc ka nds t udi ed abr o ad,wi t hhopest hathec ans av ehi sf ami l yf r om t hehel lbr ou ghtb yt hei ro wnr el at i v es .Al s o,anot her s c en eh er ei swh enJ ul i owe ntt owor kf o rac on s t r u ct i o ns i t e ,a ndy o uc ans e eh owt h efi n an c erc o r r u pt s t hei re ar ni ng,butt he yc an no td oan yt hi ngbe caus ei twi l lc aus et h em t ol os et hej ob .T hi ss c ene,i nt he par to fL i noBr oc k a’ sl i f e,i sb yt het i mewhenhei smak i ngfi l msi nt hePhi l i ppi nesbutf ai l st omak ea ma r k e tb e c au s es o meo fh i sfi l msar eb an n edb yhec a n no td oa n y t h i n gb utt oa bi d eb yt h el a wg i v e n , al s o,wh ent he yar ebei ngmal t r eat e db yt hei rr el at i v es ,t he yc anno td oan yt hi n gbec aus et h eywi l ll os e t hei rhome.Thi sfi l m al s od i s c us s edt hemesi n v ol v i ngse xual i t y-whenJul i oh adnoc hoi c ebutt owor kas a“ c al l b oy ”s e r v i ngmenf orpl eas ur e.Whi c hb ac ki nt hatt i me,t obeo neo ft hec onc ep t sdi r ec t or st ended t oa v oi d .L i n oBr o ck awa so pen l yga yt h ati swh yt he s et h eme swe r eof t e nb i gpa r ti nh i sfi l ms .An ot h er
par to ft h efi l m whi c hwet hi nki soneo ft h ehi ghl i ght s ,i show s t r o ngs pi r i t edandc our ageousL i g ay ai s , t hatd es pi t ebei ngdec ei v edb yaMr s .Cr uz ,s hes t i l lma nag edt ol i v ean dbebr a v eo ft hel i f es hehadi n Ma ni l ai nh op eso fe s c api n gt h eh el lf r o mt h el i f ewi t hac hi n es e.Th es eo bs er v a t i o nsr e fle ct so nL i n o Br oc ka ’ sl i f e,i nt hepar twhenhes t r i v edt obeadi r ec t ordes pi t eal l t hes t r uggl eshehadt oov er c ome. Th es e c o n dfi l mi s“ Or a Pr o No bi s ”( Fi ghtf orUs )wa ss e ti nt h et i meo ft h eo pp r e s s i o no fh uma n r i ght swer er ampantde spi t et hei mpr es s i ont hatt het i meoft hedi c t at or s hi ph ade nded.Thi sfil m depi c t ed l i ber al i s m oft headmi ni s t r at i oni ns uppor tf orv i gi l ant esi nbel i eft hatt heyc oul dfi ghtc ommuni s m.But bel i e vi ngt hatt hedi c t at or s hi pendedaf t ert henewpr es i dentt ookheroat h,t hej udgmentwaswr ong;t her e h adb ee nma nyc as e so fd i s a pp ea r a nc e sa nds u c h.Th i sfi l mr e fl ec t e di nBr o c k a' sl i f ef r o mt h et i mewh en hi sf at herdi edf r om pol i t i c almur derandt het i meofdi c t at or s hi p,hewaspar toft het r ans i t i onper i odf r om t h edi c t a t o r s hi pt oCo r y ’ st i mea ndh ewa sa wa r eo fa l lt hea no ma l i e st h er e i n .Th i sfil m wa sa l s ob ann ed f r o ms c r e en i n gi nl o c al fi l mt h at ’ swh yhes mu gg l e dh i sfi l ma br o adwh i c hwo na wa r d s . Thel as tfi l mt h atwe ’ v es eeni s“I ns i ang” ,whi c hi sabo utapo v er t y r i ddenwomanwhol i v edherl i f ebei ng ma l t r e at e db yh ero wnmo t h er ,a ndwa sr ap edb yh ermo t h er ’ sl i v ei npa r t n er ,a ndt a k enf orgr a nt e db yh er b oy f r i e nd ,l e ad i n gh ert os e ekr e v en gei nme n.Thi sal s oc h an ge dh erp er s on al i t y-s h eb ec a met o ug ha nd s het ol er at edal lt hepai nc aus edb yt hes ec i r c ums t a nc es ;andr el at i n gi tt oLi noBr oc k a,hewasabl et o s h owh owwo me nh adb ee nama t e r i a lf o rs e x ua lp l e as u r e ,h ewa sma l t r e at e db yhi so wnr e l a t i v e swh i c h het r eat e dasf ami l yandi nt hi sfi l m,hi sper s on al at t ac hmentwasob vi ous . Concl usi on Af t e rac ar ef u la na l y z at i o no fL i n o Br oc k a ’ sfi l ms ,wewe r ea bl et oc on cl u det h ath i sp er s on al c h ar a ct e rwa si nc or p or a t e dt o hi sfi l msi nt h es e ns et h athi se x per i e nc eo fo pp r e ss i o na nd i n j u s t i c e b ec amet h ema i nt h eme so fh i sfi l ms .Hepr o j e ct e dawe l l t h oug hta ndb ea ut i f u l l yex e c ut e dfi l mst h r o ug h hi ss k i l l si nt het ec hni c alas pec tofc r eat i ngafi l ms uc hasl i ght i ng,c amer as t y l e,pr oduc t i ondes i gn,and t hr oug hd i r ec t i ngi t s el f ;fi l mswhi c hbe cameane y eopenert ot heFi l i pi nop eo pl e.Ther es ear c her sha v e wi t n es s edi nt h efi l mst h er e al i t yd ur i n gt heMa r c osa ndp os t Mar c oser at h r o ug ht h er e fle ct i o nsoft he di ff er entl i v esofpeopl ei nt hes ai dper i ods .Ast her es ear c her sl ook edi nt oLi noBr oc ka ’ sl i f e,wel ear ned a bo uth i sba ck g r ou nda sadi r ec t ora ndt h es t r u gg l eh ee x pe r i e nc e db ac kwh enh i sf a t h erdi e dt ot h et i me t heywer eoppr es s edbyt hei rr el at i v es ,i tpr o vedt hathi sper s onal at t ac hmenti sev i denti nhi sfil msha vi ng t h eme sc e nt er e di no pp r e ss i onofh uma nr i g ht s ,p oo rpe op l ea bu s edb yt h es y s t e m,a nda l s o,t op i c swe r e c ent er edo nt hei gnor e ds ec t or soft hes oc i e t ys uc ha spr os t i t ut es ,s l um dwel l er s ,di s c r i mi nat edpeopl e, andsuc h.Al s o,i nt hr ee( 3 )ofhi sfi l ms ,hebec amec ons i s t en tb yus i ngcl os eupsh ot smos to ft het i meas wel lasha vi ngl oc at i onst hatar es etons l um ar eas .Bei n gad i r ec t orwhop os s es s edt hes equal i t i es ,we h av ep r o v ent h atL i n oBr o ck ai sc on si d er e dt ob ea na ut e ur .
