''Bulaklak sa City Jail'' is a 1984 Filipino

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written by

Lualhati Bautista Lualhati Torres Bautista (born December 2, 1945) is a Filipina writer, novelist, liberal activist and political critic. Her most popular novels include '' Dekada '70''; '' Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka Ginawa?''; and '' ‘GAPÔ''. Biography Bautista was ...

and directed by

Mario O'Hara Mario Herrero O'Hara (April 20, 1946 – June 26, 2012) was a Philippines, Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter known for his sense of Realism (arts), realism often with dark but realistic social messages.Nora Aunor Nora Cabaltera Villamayor (born May 21, 1953), professionally known as Nora Aunor (), is a Filipino actress, recording artist, and film producer. Aunor has also appeared in several stage plays, television shows and concerts. She is known as Ph ...

as Angela Aguilar *

Gina Alajar Regina Liguid Alatiit (born June 28, 1959), professionally known as Gina Alajar (), is a FAMAS and Gaward Urian Award winning Filipino film and television actress and television director. Career Since appearing as a child actress in the earl ...

as Juliet *

Celia Rodriguez Cecilia Rodriguez (born June 21, 1938) is a multi-awarded Filipina actress. She appeared in more than 130 movies and television shows. She won four FAMAS Awards in the films ''Kulay Dugo ang Gabi'', ''The Passionate Strangers'', ''Lilet'' and ' ...

as Luna *

Perla Bautista Perla Marcial Bautista (born February 18, 1940) is a multi-awarded actress in the Philippines. She acted in more than 250 movies and television shows. She won the Best Actress FAMAS Award for ''Markang Rehas'' (1962). She also won Gawad Urian A ...

as Viring *Maya Valdez as Barbie * Zenaida Amador as Tonya * Maritess Gutierrez as Patricia *

Gloria Romero Gloria Romero may refer to: *Gloria Romero (actress) Gloria Anne Borrego Galla (born December 16, 1933), known professionally as Gloria Romero (), is a multi-awarded Filipino actress, regarded as the “Queen of Philippine Movies”, her care ...

as Patricia's mother *

Ricky Davao Frederick Charles Davao, professionally known as Ricky Davao (born May 30, 1961) is a Filipino actor, television director, and industrial management engineer (graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology. He is the husband of actress Jackie Lou ...

as Crisanto *

German Moreno German Molina Moreno (; October 4, 1933 – January 8, 2016), also known as Kuya Germs ( or ) and dubbed as "The Master Showman", was a Filipino television host, presenter, actor, comedian, talent manager, producer, writer, and director. Early ...

as Warden Ambrocio *

Bella Flores Remedios Papa Dancel (February 27, 1929 – May 19, 2013), commonly known as Bella Flores, was a Filipina actress. She was best known for her "iconic" portrayals of film villains. She is popularly referred as the original “Queen of Kontrabida ...

as Olga Bella *Shyr Valdez as Yolly *

Tom Olivar Ricardo Aranda Cellona, known by his stage name Tom Olivar (born April 26, 1963), is a film and television actor in the Philippines. Career He is one of the active character actors in Philippine films and TV series since the 1980s. He appeared ...

as Paquito *Augusto Victa as Warden Esteban *Alvin Enriquez as Juliet's son *Toby Alejar as Mike *Gigette Reyes as Adela *Mandy Bustamante as Leon *Romy Nario as Totoy *Carmen Enriquez as Atty. Jacob *Cris Daluz as Atty. Diaz *Sarah Gayotin as Viring's daughter *Edwin O'Hara as Fr. Eusebio

Production staff

* Director: Mario O'Hara * Producer: Archie and Cherry Cobarubbias * Writer: Lualhati Bautista (story and screenplay) * Production Designer: Tony Aguilar * Art Director: Jon Jon Portugal * Assistant Director: Ricardo B. De Guzman and Jon Jon Portugal * Sound Effects: Rodel Capule * Sound Mixer: Vic Macamay * Music: Tony Aguilar * Film Editor: Efren Jarlego * Cinematographer: Johnny Araojo * Post-Production Facilities: Magnatech Omni * Color Processing: LVN Pictures * Production-in-Charge: Pearl Valdez * Production Managers: Maritess Gutierrez and Andy Biag

Release

The film was released by Cherubim Films on December 25, 1984, and it is one of the following entries for the 1984 Metro Manila Film Festival. It won six awards including Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Director.

Digital restoration

The restored version of the film was premiered on November 11, 2019, at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City as part of the

Cinema One Originals The Cinema One Originals Film Festival, a division of ABS-CBN Films commonly known as Cinema One Originals, is an independent film festival in the Philippines held annually in the month of November in Quezon City. Its primary goal is to showcase ...

film festival. It was attended by the film's surviving cast and staff members: actors

and

, film producer Cherry Cobarubbias and former actress and now chef Maritess Gutierrez (she also represented her mother Gloria Romero) as well as the staff and crew of the ABS-CBN Film Archives and the channel head of Cinema One, Ronald Arguelles. Actress

Pinky Amador Pilar Cristina Roxas Amador (born 16 March 1966), commonly known by her stage name Pinky Amador, is a Filipina actress, singer, commercial model and TV host. Amador was in the original London cast of the Cameron Mackintosh musical hit ''Miss S ...

(niece of the late Zenaida Amador, who died in 2008), actress-producer Ruby Flores-Arcilla (daughter of Bella Flores, who died in 2013), and director Denise O'Hara (niece of Mario O'Hara, who died in 2012) also attended the premiere as the representatives of the cast and staff members who were deceased or unable to attend.

Reception

In a review by Engelbert Rafferty for Film Police Reviews, the film is considered "a classic, no questions asked". Lualhati Bautista, the film's writer, was praised for the screenplay that made it alive and fascinated by the viewers as well as the exhibited dramatic performances of the cast members. Nora Aunor was also praised for her widely accepted and realized performance as Angela, whose character was described as "a woman maltreated by society".

Awards and recognition

References

External links

* {{MMFF 1984 films Filipino-language films Philippine drama films 1984 drama films Films directed by Mario O'Hara