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Bona (film)

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 10 min

Bona
Official poster of the film for the 1980 Metro Manila Film Festival
Directed byLino Brocka
Written byCenen Ramones
Produced byNora Villamayor
Starring
CinematographyConrado Baltazar
Edited byAugusto Salvador
Music byMax Jocson
Production
company
NV Productions
Distributed byNV Productions
Release date
  • December 25, 1980 (1980-12-25)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryPhilippines
LanguageFilipino
Box office₱13 million

Bona is a 1980 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka from a story and screenplay written by Cenen Ramones. Starring Nora Aunor as the title character, the film tells the story of a young girl infatuated with a bit actor, played by Phillip Salvador. Aunor also produced the film through her production company, NV Productions.

The film was one of the official entries to the 1980 Metro Manila Film Festival, and subsequently premiered at the Directors' Fortnight of the 1981 Cannes International Film Festival. Aunor received her second Gawad Urian for Best Actress for her role.

In 2024, the digitally restored version of the film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival during the Cannes Classics section. It had its local Philippine premiere as the closing film of the 2024 Cinemalaya Film Festival.[1]

Cast

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Production

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Writing

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Cenen Ramones, the film's writer, originally wrote Bona as a teleplay for a television series Babae, with Laurice Guillen playing the title role.[2] When the teleplay was adapted for film, director Lino Brocka decided to make changes, with the film being focused on Bona's obsession with Gardo, instead of the love angle.[2] Brocka believed that Bona's infatuation with Gardo was deemed "too standard".[2]

Release

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The film was an official entry to the 6th Metro Manila Film Festival. It has its international premiere at the 34th Cannes Film Festival on May 1981, as part of the Directors' Fortnight.[3] This marked the second appearance of director Lino Brocka at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight, following the premiere of Insiang at the 29th Cannes Film Festival in May 1976.[4]

Restoration

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After its initial release in 1980, the film remained largely unseen.[5] Amongst Philippine film circles, it was believed that the film was lost after negatives and prints of films produced by NV Productions were destroyed in a fire.[3]

The restoration of Bona was led by French distribution company Carlotta Films, headed by its CEO and co-founder Vincent Paul-Boncour, and Kani Releasing. In his search for an original copy, Paul-Boncour learned of original negatives that were stored with a Paris film lab following its original Cannes premiere. The discovery was initially made by film historian Jose B. Capino, during his research for a book on director Lino Brocka, after interviewing Cannes film scout Pierre Rissient. The film restoration was carried out at Cité de Mémoire, with sound restoration handled by L.E. Diapason.[3][6] In 2023, the first 20 minutes of the restoration was screened at the Marché du Film in Cannes, France.[3][7]

The fully restored film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Cannes Classics section.[6][8] earning raves from Oscar winning filmmaker Sean Baker and other Festival attendees.[9] It had its local Philippine premier as the closing film of the 2024 Cinemalaya Film Festival.[1][5] The film was also screened at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival, as part of the TIFF Classics section.[10]

Reception

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Critical reception

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Bona has been considered as one of the Philippines' greatest movies. It was also cited as one of "The Best 100 Films in the World" by the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, USA, in 1997 and has been screened in different film festivals around the world, albeit receiving mixed reviews.

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Lawrence Van Gelder noted the film was interesting as a glimpse of Philippine life, but found fault in the directing and writing for failing to give valid explanations to the obsession.[11]

Barbara Wurm, Berlin- and Vienna-based film historian, critic, and programmer, described Philippine cinema's Superstar as "the awesome Nora Aunor", during the film's screening at the 47 Vienna International Film Festival in 2009.[12][13][14]

Upon the release of the restoration at the Cannes Classics, Bona received positive comments and reviews.[15]

Accolades

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Year Group Category Nominee Result
1982 Figueira da Foz International Film Festival Premio de le Juri de la Federacion Internationale des Cine Clubs (Jury Prize of the International Federation of Cinema Clubs) Won
1981 Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards Best Actress Nora Aunor Nominated
Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) Best Actress Nora Aunor Won
Best Actor Philip Salvador Nominated
Best Director Lino Brocka Nominated
Best Picture Nominated

Adaptations

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In 2012, as part of its 45th season, the Philippine Educational Theater Association staged a contemporary adaptation written by Layeta Bucoy and directed by Socrates 'Soxie" Tapacio. Eugene Domingo played Bona, while EA Guzman played Gino Sanchez, the stage counterpart of the film's Gardo.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b Tariman, Pablo A. (August 10, 2024). "Brocka's restored 'Bona' closes 20th Cinemalaya". VERA Files. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Hernando, Mario (1993). Lino Brocka: The Artist and His Times. Cultural Center of the Philippines. pp. 234–236. ISBN 9789718546161. Retrieved April 25, 2025 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c d Napales, Ruben (May 14, 2024). "[Only IN Hollywood] 43 years later, Nora Aunor's 'Bona' returns to Cannes". Rappler. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "'Bona' by Lino Brocka to be screened at Cannes 2024". GMA News Online. May 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "BONA COMES HOME". Cultural Center of the Philippines. August 8, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Frater, Frater (May 14, 2024). "Lino Brocka's Cannes Classic 'Bona,' With Philippines' Female Superstar Nora Aunor, Set for Release in U.S., Franc". Variety. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  7. ^ "Marché du Film is back with a vengeance". Manila Bulletin. May 28, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  8. ^ "Lino Brocka's Cannes Classic 'Bona,' With Philippines' Female Superstar Nora Aunor, Set for Release in U.S., France". Variety Magazine. Variety. May 14, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  9. ^ "Hollywood filmmaker Sean Baker, others rave over restored 'Bona' film in Cannes". GMA Network. GMA News Online. May 23, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  10. ^ Vlessing, Etan (August 8, 2024). "Toronto Film Fest Adds Wang Bing, Roberto Minervini, Miguel Gomes Films to Wavelengths". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  11. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 19, 1984). "'BONA' GIVES A GLIMPSE OF LIFE IN THE PHILIPPINES". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  12. ^ Wurm, Barbara (April 5, 2010). "Leftist Glamour? or, Home Runs and Explorations: The 47th Viennale: Vienna International Film Festival". Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  13. ^ Foerster, Lukas (October 29, 2009). "CARGO auf der Viennale". Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  14. ^ "RacsOview: Bona (1980)". Retrieved January 24, 2013.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ Nepales, Ruben (May 23, 2024). "[Only IN Hollywood] Restored 'Bona' draws raves as biggest Filipino delegation gathers at Cannes". Rappler. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  16. ^ "Bona: From screen to stage". Philstar.com. Retrieved August 10, 2024.

Further reading

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  • Tobias, Mel. One hundred acclaimed Tagalog movies. Canada: Peanut Butter Publishing, 1998.
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Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bona_(film)
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