Three female film artists pay homage to quintessential director Mike de Leon

by Boy Villasanta

The death of iconic and socially relevant filmmaker Mike de Leon has shaken not only the local film community but the nation as well.

Mike de Leon of the memorable films “Itim,” “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising,” “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” “Batch ’81,” “Kisapmata,” “Bilanggo sa Dilim,” “Sister Stella L,” “Aliwan Paradise,” “Bayaning Third World,” Citizen Jake” etc.) has succumbed to an illness but his spirit will live throughout the world as long as forever.

De Leon was not only a director, he was also a social activist who fought dictatorships of Marcos and Duterte.

Writer, actress and once-in-a-while director Bibeth Orteza, feminists and directors Kiri Dalena and Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil paid homage—however on social media—to one of the greatest Filipino filmmakers of all time.          

Orteza: “Fainting on cue, for Mike de Leon.

“Summer of 1977. On the night the ice cream parlor scene in ‘Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising’ was to be shot, Mike was antsy. Pancho Escaler and I asked him why so, and he said he had an argument with his dad, LVN top honcho Manuel de Leon, earlier that day.

“I suggested that he pack up that evening’s schedule, but he refused, saying he didn’t want his dad to feel he was affected by their earlier conversation. So, when cinematographer Pancho went back to supervising the lighting set up, I whispered to our director: ‘I can faint on cue.’ He asked, ‘How?’

“Crossing over to the bar where Christopher de Leon, Danny Javier, Boboy Garovillo and I were supposed to be seated, I gestured to Mike how I could stand on tiptoe with one foot, and from there, glide down to the floor as if I’d really fainted. Mike first wanted to make sure I wouldn’t get hurt, and when I assured him that I knew what I was doing, he whispered: ‘Just don’t get hurt, OK? And also, do your fainting bit before the scene starts, so we don’t have to pay the extras in the background.’

“I nodded. When Mike went ‘Motor!’ that was my cue. I ‘fainted,’ sliding down all the way to the floor. Shooting didn’t push through; Mike sent every one home except for Pancho, his secretary Marietta Sta. Juana and me, so that I could ‘rest.’”

Dalena: “Contra mundum/Mike De Leon.

“I bid goodbye to Filipino filmmaker Mike De Leon. His reputation for seeking privacy preceded him so in spite of having several opportunities to be in the same space with him during film related events (the closest when I was allowed to visit his set in Baguio in 2017) I have never dared to approach and utter a single word to him.

“But during the Duterte administration, I found out that he was making short films to express his disgust about the regime and was even making reedits of his older works for the same purpose. So, for about 5 years I was able to carry on very measured exchanges with him via email, asking permission to screen his new short films (as well as older documentaries) in my collective RESBAK’s space in Cubao X. His tone was never warm but he always responds quickly with clear instructions about which copies he wanted to show (the highest resolution possible) accompanied by criticism towards the quality of the versions that have been going around or uploaded to youtube. He gave permission to screen these films at will and also said yes to participating in an exhibition called ‘Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos’ as well as in a program I curated for Binisaya Film Festival in 2019. At some point he also shared a link to ‘Aliwan Paradise’ (for only a week) after I told him that I read about it in Jonathan Beller’s ‘Acquiring Eyes’ but have never seen it.

“I am always on cloud nine when artists I look up to would say yes to invitations but in the case of Mike De Leon, I was always hesitant to be too excessive with my words, or expressive of emotions. As I said, his reputation preceded him. So, the most that I have written to him was: ‘the remastered copies are beautiful’ and ‘thank you for caring for films and for being ever so generous.’

“But in June 2023, out of the blue, he sent an email that he will no longer allow the screenings of any of his films in any event and asked for silence. As much as I wanted to understand why, or inquire if there was something I did wrong, I decided not to prod. Since then, I have not written to him and as instructed, never have I shown his films again. 

“He entered my mind very recently, before I left for Germany. I thought of writing to him again, since time has passed and I learned that he has been responding to email again. There is progress in the crimes against humanity complaint against Duterte and perhaps this is a respectful enough reason to reconnect with him. But then I learned that he is gone.

“I have no photo of him to post (naturally, I also didn’t dare to take his photo), but allow me this small space to share a memory of him and express my profound grief for the passing of another giant. As temperamental as he was, from Marcos to Duterte, his heart was always in the right place.

“Again, thank you for caring for films and for being ever so generous. You remain with us in spirit. Contra mundum!”

Ongkeko-Marfil: “Mike de Leon. My one big crush in the industry. 

“You should hear him laugh.

“You should hear him think.

“You should watch his movies.

“Because of him I watched ‘Autumn Sonata’—don’t remember why.

“I asked his friend Raquel Villavicencio where the wake is. ‘None,’ she says. So, he leaves us in true classic fashion. Born to LVN studios, he appropriated the art but avoided anything that smacked of ‘Tinseltown.’ 

“In 2005, our Indie Film Coop wanted to honor filmmakers who contributed to the indie spirit. I pushed for his inclusion. But nope, he wasn’t into awards. He also rejected a national artist nomination, years back.

“He had a big scary dog. He was a recluse. Though. he had friends like Ding Achacoso and Cesar Hernando, who had gone way ahead of him, and close friends outside of the industry. My condolences to all his closest friends and family and fans.

“I met him because of ‘Sr. Stella L.,’ my 2nd film after Ishmael Bernal’s ‘Himala.’ I had heard he had a temper, but he was so nice on and offscreen during the project. He would call me late nights to discuss the film, so I guess I was forgiven for being a bad continuity director. He even made me write some scenes, such as the speech of Tony Santos Sr., the union leader, and would give me credit—it seems he does this often, as I read Peping Almojuela’s post on him. I think he liked my cast recommendation, Rody Vera, as the union leader’s son who sang ‘Manggagawa’ at the picket line scene—Rody’s acting and singing debut on camera.

“He only lost his temper once. Perhaps, he was carried away by the whole relevance of what we were doing. The writer was Pete Lacaba. It was the height of rallies during the Marcos Sr. years. He was a serious student of the situation, so I think it broke his heart when the film did not become a blockbuster hit, as I think it was his personal offering to the mass movement, and yet they did not watch. I don’t know if he knew—the film continues to be a favorite among unionists when they do get to see it.

“Right after, he accepted a komiks-based project, with Raquel writing the film version. She quit, though, as he asked for revisions to make scenes ‘darker.’ She told him, “Mike, this is not ‘Kisapmata.’ (Raquel co-wrote ‘Kisapmata,’ ‘Kakabakaba Ka Ba?,’ and ‘Batch 81’ with Doy del Mundo). He did finish the film but would ask to remove his name from the credits, I think.

“Whatever, we lost touch. I think Rody and I fell from his grace when I recommended Rody to write a script for him, but just to beat the deadline, he submitted a handwritten script. (This was in the 80s, way before laptops, and we were very young, haha. Rody has gone public about this, sharing his woes to newbies.) He got so angry; “kalaykay raw ng manok” ang handwriting ni Rody. The script was about a police inspector, which did get written somehow but never took off. I never saw him since then.

“But when he did his last film, and again I feel he did that from the heart, it was heavily bashed—including some personal issues around it. I felt hurt for him. How dare the crowd, I thought. Of course that is their right.

“But to me, he was the real thing. And so, I understand his leaving without a wake. That is just so him. Condolences to all of us!

“But we have his films. And now I am looking for copies of his memoirs in two books. Mabuhay, Mike de Leon. Saludo!”