''1898, Our Last Men in the Philippines'' ( es, 1898, Los últimos de Filipinas) is a 2016 Spanish
war drama film directed by
Salvador Calvo
Salvador Calvo (born 1970) is a Spanish film and television director.
Biography
Calvo was born 1970 in Madrid. He earned a licentiate degree in Information Sciences (Journalism) from the Complutense University of Madrid. Instead of focusing ...
. The film depicts the
Siege of Baler from 1898 to 1899, where 54 Spanish soldiers defended themselves in the San Luis Obispo de Tolosa church against
Philippine revolutionaries. It was shortlisted as one of the three films to be selected as the potential Spanish submission for the
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
at the
90th Academy Awards
The 90th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2017, and took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was held on March 4, ...
. However, it was not selected, with ''
Summer 1993
''Summer 1993'' ( ca, Estiu 1993) is a 2017 Catalan-language Spanish drama film directed and written by Carla Simón. The film premiered in the Generation section at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the GWFF Best Firs ...
'' being selected as the Spanish entry.
Plot
During the
Philippine Revolution in October 1897,
Tagalog
Tagalog may refer to:
Language
* Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines
** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language
** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language
* Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Taga ...
revolutionaries allied with the
Katipunan
The Katipunan, officially known as the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK; en, Supreme and Honorable Association of the Children of the Nation ...
attack a Spanish garrison in
Baler, Aurora
Baler, officially the Municipality of Baler ( tl, Bayan ng Baler; ilo, Ili ti Baler), is a 3rd class municipality of the Philippines, municipality and capital of the province of the Philippines, province of Aurora (province), Aurora, Philippine ...
, killing 37 out of 50 soldiers stationed there. Three months later, the 2nd Expeditionary Battalion led by Captain Enrique de las Morenas y Fossí and Lieutenant Martín Cerezo is sent from
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
to retake the village. Despite being informed by Brother Carmelo of the San Luís Obispo de Tolosa church in Baler that the rebels have left, Cerezo takes no chances and orders his men to proceed with caution. Upon their arrival, they meet Sergeant Jimeno Costa, a survivor of the massacre, and Teresa, a villager who claims to have no qualms with the Spanish Empire. As the battalion consists of new recruits, they are warned by de las Morenas that the humidity, diseases, typhoons, and wildlife are the rebels' closest allies. Among the cadets is Carlos, an artist from
Fuenlabrada de los Montes hoping to study at the
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (RABASF; ), located on the Calle de Alcalá in the heart of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery. A public law corporation, it is integrated together with other Spanish royal acade ...
after the war. He confides with Brother Carmelo, who shares
opium
Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy '' Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which ...
with him to relieve their pain.
Some time later, a wounded messenger delivers news that the United States have
declared war
A declaration of war is a formal act by which one state announces existing or impending war activity against another. The declaration is a performative speech act (or the signing of a document) by an authorized party of a national government, ...
on Spain and subsequently
destroyed the Spanish fleet in Cavite. As Manila is under siege, supplies to the battalion have been cut off. Morenas orders his men to
fortify the church against a possible attack. On 30 June 1898, Tagalog rebels attack the battalion, forcing them to retreat into the church. The next morning, Calixto Villacorta, speaking for Commander Teodoro Novicio Luna of the Filipino forces, offers a one-day truce for each side to bury their own. As both sides gather their dead, Spanish cadet Juan defects to the rebels.
By 10 October, several cadets fall victim to
beriberi
Thiamine deficiency is a medical condition of low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1). A severe and chronic form is known as beriberi. The two main types in adults are wet beriberi and dry beriberi. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system, r ...
due to contamination in the food rations from Manila. As Juan attempts to convince the battalion that they are fighting for a lost cause, Morenas succumbs to beriberi that night, leaving Cerezo in charge of the men. Teresa and the village women bring oranges and the latest newspapers to the church as a peace offering, leading to an argument between Cerezo and Costa over the fate of the battalion. On 31 December, Brother Carmelo dies of beriberi. Days later, upon hearing Teresa singing in the village, Cerezo shoots her, prompting the Tagalog forces to shell the church with artillery in retaliation. Cerezo leads Costa and some cadets to sabotage the rebels' cannon, but an erratic Carlos goes further by stealing the village's food and burning the surrounding houses before retreating back to the church. The next day, Carlos is locked in the basement after Brother Carmelo's opium pipe is found and he is experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
On 18 May 1899, after Carlos emerges from his rehabilitation, Lieutenant Colonel Cristóbal Aguilar y Castañeda, on behalf of Governor-General
Diego de los Ríos
Diego de los Ríos y Nicolau (9 April 1850 – 4 November 1911) was the last Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines.
Governor-General of the Philippines
Government in Iloilo
In September 1898, he became the Governor-General of the Philipp ...
, arrives at the church to deliver newspapers and orders for the battalion to lay down their arms. Cerezo, however, is still not convinced that Spain has lost its colonies to the U.S., believing that the documents he received are false. Carlos offers to travel back to Manila to verify the news they were receiving, but he is captured by Tagalog forces and brought to Luna, who tells him that Spain had
sold the Philippines to the Americans for $20 million, leading to the
Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. He returns to the church to tell Cerezo what he has learned, but Cerezo still refuses to stand down. That night, Carlos, José, and Carvajal attempt to flee the church, but are caught by Costa, who chops off Carlos' right arm while Cerezo has the other two cadets executed. As his men lay wounded from another gun battle, Cerezo realizes the truth when he reads a personnel transfer article on a newspaper indicating that his friend Francisco Díaz was posted to
Málaga
Málaga (, ) is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most po ...
.
On 2 June, Cerezo has Carlos wave the
white flag
White flags have had different meanings throughout history and depending on the locale.
Contemporary use
The white flag is an internationally recognized protective sign of truce or ceasefire, and for negotiation. It is also used to symbolize ...
at the church tower, marking the end of the siege. He then hands over his formal surrender to Luna, who agrees not to take the battalion prisoner and to leave their fate to the American forces. He gives them a
guard of honor, and they part with the words ''"it has been four centuries, lieutenant."'' Carlos is given a letter of exemplary conduct by Cerezo, but he threatens to tell the Spanish authorities what his superior did to his battalion. Disillusioned by the ordeal he faced, he throws away his art book before he and the surviving members of the battalion leave the church.
The siege lasted for 337 days, with 17 Spanish casualties and more than 700 Filipino deaths. It also marked the end of the
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
. Of the survivors of the 2nd Expeditionary Battalion, Cerezo received the
Laureate Cross and in the historical events the enlisted men received the
Cross of Military Merit and a pension for life.
Cast
*
Luis Tosar
Luis López Tosar (born 13 October 1971) is a Spanish actor and musician from Galicia. He is one of the most recognizable and versatile actors in Spain, best known for performances in films such as '' Cell 211'', '' Take My Eyes'', '' Sleep Tig ...
as Lieutenant Martín Cerezo
*
Javier Gutiérrez as Sergeant Jimeno Costa
*
Álvaro Cervantes
Álvaro Cervantes Sorribas (born 12 September 1989) is a Spanish actor.
Life and career
Álvaro Cervantes Sorribas was born in Barcelona on 12 September 1989. His younger sister Ángela has also pursued an acting career.
Cervantes made a name ...
as Carlos
*
Karra Elejalde
Carlos Elejalde Garay (born 10 October 1960) better known as Karra Elejalde, is a Spanish actor and occasional filmmaker.
Biography
Carlos Elejalde Garay was born on 10 October 1960 in Vitoria-Gasteiz. He developed his early acting career on i ...
as Brother Carmelo
*
Carlos Hipólito
Carlos López Hipólito (born 1956), better known as Carlos Hipólito, is a Spanish actor with a long stage career. He is perhaps most familiar to a television audience for performances in series such as ''Desaparecida'', '' Guante blanco'', ''Lo ...
as Doctor Vigil
*
Ricardo Gómez as José
*
Patrick Criado
Patrick Criado de la Puerta (born 23 September 1995) is a Spanish actor. He became popular for his role in the TV series ''Águila Roja''. He has also performed in series such as '' Mar de plástico'', '' Unauthorized Living'' and ''Riot Police ...
as Juan
*
Eduard Fernández
Eduard Fernández Serrano (born 25 August 1964) is a Spanish screen and stage actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Goya Awards and four Gaudí Awards.
Biography
Eduard Fernández was born in Barcelona on 25 August ...
as Captain Enrique de las Morenas y Fossí
*
Miguel Herrán
Miguel Ángel García de la Herrán, best known as Miguel Herrán, is a Spanish actor. In 2016, he won the Goya Award for Best New Actor for his feature film debut in '' Nothing in Return''. He gained notoriety for his performances in televisio ...
as Carvajal
* Emilio Palacios as Moisés
* as Teresa
*
Pedro Casablanc as Lieutenant Colonel Cristóbal Aguilar y Castañeda
*
Raymond Bagatsing
Ramon "Raymond" San Diego Bagatsing III is a Filipino actor, model and aspiring politician. Having jumpstarted his acting career in the early 90s, he is most notable for the role of Jaime Laurel in the hit ABS-CBN series ''Pusong Ligaw''.
Ea ...
as Commander Teodoro Novicio Luna
Production
''1898, Our Last Men in the Philippines'' was shot in the
Canary Islands and
Equatorial Guinea as stand-ins for the Philippines.
Reception
Critical response
Jonathan Holland of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' called the film "Spectacular and striking, but none too subtle."
Accolades
See also
*''
Last Stand in the Philippines
''Last Stand in the Philippines'' () is a 1945 Spanish biographical war film directed by Antonio Román. It is based on a radio script by Enrique Llovet, ''Los Héroes de Baler,'' and novel, ''El Fuerte de Baler,'' by Enrique Alfonso Barcones an ...
'' – a 1945 Spanish film.
*''
Baler'' – a 2008 Philippine film.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:1898 Our Last Men In The Philippines
2016 films
2016 drama films
2016 war drama films
2010s historical drama films
2010s Spanish films
2010s Spanish-language films
Spanish historical drama films
Spanish war drama films
Spanish–American War films
Films directed by Salvador Calvo
Films set in 1897
Films set in 1898
Films set in 1899
Films set during the Philippine–American War
Films set in the Philippines
Films shot in the Canary Islands
Films shot in Equatorial Guinea
Films with screenplays by Alejandro Hernández
Siege films