Cinema
Blessings of the Land
Biyaya ng lupa
Manuel Silos · 1959
Synopsis
The day after their wedding, Maria and Jose settle in a bamboo house and plant an orchard of lanzones, which will not give its full harvest for twenty years. Four children are born, the eldest, Miguel, being deaf-mute. But Bruno, a widower whom the village suspects of having caused his wife's death, pursues Jose's niece Choleng with his advances; while fleeing him, the girl falls from a cliff, and Bruno, who has taken refuge in the mountains, broods over his revenge.
Context
LVN produced the film from a story by Celso Al. Carunungan, who also wrote the screenplay with Pablo Naval, and released it for Christmas 1959; the company was run by Narcisa de León, who had founded it and who produced this film herself. Rosa Rosal and Tony Santos played the couple here for the third time, after two films by Lamberto Avellana; the actress, whom the public hated in her villain roles, played a mother here. The cinematography is by Remigio Young, the editing by Ike Jarlego and the music by Juan Silos junior.
Who it is for
In Tagalog, subtitled in English in the version put online. The film opens on a village wedding filmed at length and takes its time before establishing the conflict.
Prizes and reception
Best film and best story at the Philippine academy in 1960, and a Berlin selection the same year, in competition for the Golden Bear.