| Cain at Abel | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Lino Brocka |
| Written by | Ricky Lee |
| Produced by | Benjamin G. Yalung |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Conrado Baltazar |
| Edited by | Efren Jarlego |
| Music by | Max Jocson |
Production company | Cine Suerte |
| Distributed by | Cine Suerte |
Release date |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Languages | Filipino English |
Cain and Abel (Filipino: Cain at Abel) is a 1982 Philippine action thriller drama film directed by Lino Brocka from a written story and screenplay by Ricardo "Ricky" Lee. The film's story was inspired by the Biblical story of two brothers, Christopher de Leon and Phillip Salvador respectively played the roles of Ellis and Lorenzo, the two brothers and sons of Senyora Pina (Mona Lisa), who have different views on each other. However, the sibling rivalry became violent and bloody due to the issue of inheritance of their family land and Senyora Pina's favoritism to her younger son. It also stars Carmi Martin as Zita, Ellis's fiancée from Manila; Cecille Castillo as Rina, the house helper, and Ellis's other woman; and Baby Delgado as Becky, Lorenzo's wife.
Cain at Abel was released on October 8, 1982, by Cine Suerte Inc., it served as the first Filipino film entry for the San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain in the same year, and received accolades from award-giving bodies for cinema. The film was digitally restored and remastered by ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project and Central Digital Lab in 2016; the restored version was premiered on August 11, 2016.
Lorenzo, the eldest son of Donya Pina, returns home tipsy from a drinking party in the countryside and starts asking his mother about the idea of buying tractors for the farm. However, his mother refuses, citing that the farmers of the plantation would slack off. The conversation between Lorens and his mother turned into an argument after the former gave a threat to her. On the following day, Ellis, the youngest son, returns home from his studies in Manila and brought his classmate Zita, who will spend her vacation at the household. Later, while Ellis entertains his family, Lorens returned and sees his brother suspiciously due to his envy towards him and his mother's favoritism toward Ellis.
At dinnertime, Ellis began to notice why his room was used and Lorens replied that he used it for his sons. The questioning caused a small argument between the two brothers but their mother stopped it. A few hours later, Lorens went to the nightclub and they conversed with his friends, talking about his brother Ellis and Senyora Pina. While Senyora Pina mentioned her planned will and testament, Ellis wants the land to be his, and according to the matriarch, Lorens brought problems to the family, citing his mismanagement of the family plantation. As they continue talking, Ellis told to his mother that he decided to drop out of college and wanted to marry Zita. Senyora Pina, however, agreed with Ellis's requests, despite the criticism about Zita.
According to now-former actor Ryan Soler in an exclusive interview from Philippine Entertainment Portal, the film Cain at Abel served as his first foray into the show business field, before landing roles in TV programs like Anna Liza and Lovingly Yours, Helen. [1]
The film was released in the Philippines on October 8, 1982, by Cine Suerte Inc.
Cain at Abel was part of the official film entries for the 1982 San Sebastian International Film Festival, premiered on September 18, 1982. [2] It was also screened in Japan on March 15, 1997, as one of the Filipino films exhibited by The Japan Foundation in Tokyo and February 6, 1998, as part of the Lino Brocka retrospective exhibition in Fukuoka. [3] [4]
The restoration of Cain at Abel was made possible by the joint cooperation of ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project and Philippine post-production company Central Digital Lab. Prior to the restoration project's transition to digital scans of the films held at the ABS-CBN Film Archives in 4K resolution, starting with Cain at Abel, the films were scanned digitally in high definition (HD). Also, this film is the very first Lino Brocka to be restored and remastered by the network's restoration project. [5]
The restoration team of ABS-CBN used the 35mm negative film print of the film that was held in their archives as the source element for the digital restoration. However, due to censorship reasons, the scenes depicting Cita's rape and eventual death were removed from the negative. The 35mm negative was digitally scanned first in 4K resolution before going to digital restoration in 2K resolution. The digital restoration of Cain at Abel was completed in 2016. [5]
The restored version of Cain at Abel was premiered on August 11, 2016, at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino in the Cultural Center of the Philippines as part of the Digital Classics section for the Cinemalaya Philippine International Film Festival. [6] The premiere was attended by the film's writer Ricky Lee; stars Phillip Salvador, Cecille Castillo, and Carmi Martin; Danilo Brocka, the director's brother; and Evangeline Bocobo and Celine Beatrice Fabie, Mona Lisa's respective daughter and granddaughter.
The film was released by Kani Releasing (under license to ABS-CBN's Star Home Video and Star Cinema) on Blu-ray on February 22, 2022. [7]
Ian Jane from Rock! Shock! Pop! found problems with the film's pacing but was praised for its plot, production values, and acting performances of the cast. [8] Jay Cruz of Sinegang PH gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and describes the film as "largely melodramatic and gung ho on the surface". [9]
| Year | Award-Giving Body | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | FAP Awards | Best Actor | Phillip Salvador | Won |
| 1983 | FAMAS | Best Picture | Cain at Abel | Won |
| Best Child Actor | Ryan Soler [1] | Won | ||
| Best Director | Lino Brocka | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Phillip Salvador | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Mona Lisa | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Cecille Castillo | Nominated | ||
| 1983 | Gawad Urian Awards | Best Actor | Phillip Salvador | Won |
| Christopher de Leon | Nominated | |||
| Best Direction | Lino Brocka | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Baby Delgado | Won | ||
| Mona Lisa | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Conrado Baltazar | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | Efren Jarlego | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Max Jocson | Nominated |
Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco Jr. is a Filipino retired boxer, comedian and actor from Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Competing in the 48 kg category he won a gold medal at the 1994 Asian Games and a silver at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Philippines' only medal at those Games. He is the younger brother of Roel Velasco, a light-flyweight boxer who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Catalino Ortiz Brocka was a Filipino film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and significant filmmakers in the history of Philippine cinema. His body of work and life pledged to uphold anti-authoritarian politics that opposed the Marcos dictatorship at the time and continues to do so.
ABS-CBN Center for Communication Arts, Inc., doing business as Star Magic, is the talent agency owned by ABS-CBN Corporation based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines that was founded in 1992.
Smokey Mountain was the term coined for a large landfill once located in Tondo, Manila.
Christopher Strauss de León, also known as Boyet, is a Filipino actor, filmmaker and politician. Often referred to as the "King of Philippine Drama", he gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous film and television productions including period, romantic drama and thriller. His work has received various accolades throughout his career spanning five decades, including seven FAMAS Awards, two Gawad Urian Awards, four Luna Awards, eight Star Awards, and eight Metro Manila Film Festival Awards.
Esmeralda Dizon Tuazon-Ventura, known professionally as Amy Austria, is a Filipino film and television actress. She is a recipient of a FAMAS Award, 2 Gawad Urian Awards, 3 FAP Awards and 4 MMFF Awards.
Mario Herrero O'Hara was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages.
Hilda Koronel is a MMFF, FAMAS, Luna and Urian award-winning Filipino actress. Born to a Filipino mother and an American father who was a serviceman in Clark Air Base, she has starred in around 45 films, many of which are critically acclaimed, since 1970.
Insiang is a 1976 Philippine drama film directed by Lino Brocka. Its screenplay, written by Mario O'Hara and Lamberto E. Antonio, is based on O'Hara's teleplay of the same name. Set in the slums of Tondo, Manila, the film stars Hilda Koronel as the eponymous character: the young daughter of a resentful mother, whose much-younger lover rapes her. After her assault and the betrayal of her own lover, Insiang seeks revenge. A representation of urban poverty, the film explores themes of betrayal, revenge and despair.
Phillip Mikael "Ipe" Reyes Salvador is a Filipino film and television actor.
This Is My Country is a 1984 Filipino drama film written by Jose F. Lacaba and directed by Lino Brocka. The film was a part of the main competition at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival. It was selected as the Philippine entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 58th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.
Bona is a 1980 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka from a story and screenplay written by Cenen Ramones. The film tells the story of a fan becoming infatuated with the bit actor from a movie but the endless infatuation comes with unfortunate results. The film stars acclaimed actress Nora Aunor as the titular character and Phillip Salvador, one of Brocka's frequent collaborator actors, as the bit actor Gardo.
Carmita Martin also known as Carmi Martin is a Filipina actress, model, and comedian.
Maria Jennifer Obregon Mitchell, also known by her screen name Sarsi Emmanuelle is a former dancer and actress in the Philippines. She earned a Best Actress nomination from the Gawad Urian Awards for Boatman.
Of the Flesh is a 1983 Philippine horror drama film directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya. It was adapted and written by Ricky Lee from the legal story "To Take a Life" by Teresa Añover Rodriguez and produced by Benjamin G. Yalung. Set in the 1930s, during the American colonial era, it tells the story of a newly-wed couple Narcing and Puring who arrive from Manila in the town of Mulawin, a place filled with violent and tragic pasts, a place likened to Hell by its storyteller, played by Charito Solis. Settling in Mulawin, they will witness misfortunes and violence, including rape, incest, parricide, and tyranny perpetrated by the cruel Gusting.
Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising, released overseas as Moments in a Stolen Dream, is a 1977 Filipino coming-of-age romantic drama film directed by Mike de Leon, with a screenplay by de Leon and Rey Santayana. Set in Baguio, the film stars Christopher de Leon and Hilda Koronel as two young people whose friendship blooms into a complicated romance.
The Captive Virgins is a controversial 1977 Philippine period drama film produced by Armida Siguion-Reyna and directed by Mario O'Hara and Romy Suzara. The movie served as a commentary on the state of the Philippines in the 1920s during the American colonial period.
A Speck in the Water is a 1976 Philippine drama film written by Jorge Arago and directed by Ishmael Bernal. It tells the story of a love triangle in the impoverished village involving Benjamin, a fisherman in Laguna de Bay, and two women in the villageーChedeng, a soon-to-be midwife, and Maria, a beautiful young woman from the barrio.
Biktima is a 1990 Philippine thriller film directed by Lino Brocka. The film stars Sharon Cuneta and Christopher de Leon.
Christopher de Leon is a Filipino actor and filmmaker who has had an extensive career in film, television and stage. He made his screen debut in Lino Brocka's Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (1974), won his first acting award for Best Actor at the FAMAS, and has since appeared in 160 motion pictures. He received wider recognition for his roles in the historical period films Banaue: Stairway to the Sky (1975), Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos (1976), and Ganito Kami Noon... Paano Kayo Ngayon? (1976), winning his second Best Actor at the FAMAS for the latter. In 1978, De Leon played a cheating husband in Ishmael Bernal's Ikaw ay Akin with Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos, earning him his first Gawad Urian for Best Actor.
