Mila | |
---|---|
Directed by | Joel C. Lamangan |
Screenplay by | Ricky Lee |
Based on | The life story of Anita Pamintuan. |
Produced by |
|
Starring | Maricel Soriano |
Cinematography | Monino Duque |
Edited by | Tara Illenberger |
Music by | Jessie Lasaten |
Distributed by | Star Cinema |
Release date |
|
Running time | 116 minutes |
Country | Philippines |
Language | Filipino |
Mila is a 2001 Filipino drama film directed by Joel C. Lamangan with its screenplay written by Ricky Lee that was based upon the life story of Anita Pamintuan. It stars Maricel Soriano, Piolo Pascual, Princess Punzalan, Cherry Pie Picache, Kaye Abad, Serena Dalrymple, Jiro Manio and Angelica Panganiban. It was produced and released by Star Cinema as part of their 8th anniversary presentation.
The film was based on the life story of Anita Pamintuan who died during her fight for proper wages and compensation for public school teachers in the Philippines. Anita helped the street children to learn how to count, read and write; she helped the people of Ermita, Manila.[1]
Despite the film having no "adult-aimed" themes, it was almost given an R-18 rating by the MTRCB due to the two uses of the severe profane word used by the characters of Maricel Soriano and Cherry Pie Picache. Joel Lamangan, the film's director, criticized the censor board and blamed them as the "destroyer of the Philippine film industry" after MTRCB chair Anding Roces gave the said rating to the film. To settle the issue, the censor board finally gave the film a PG-13 rating instead of R-18.[2]
As part of the film's release, Star Cinema launched a nationwide essay-writing contest named "Sino ang Mila sa Buhay Ko – The Greatest Teacher In My Life", where participants would create an essay about their Mila on their lives. The panelists for the contest were the film's screenwriter Ricky Lee; singer and youth role model Cris Villonco; Etta Rosales, the representative of AKBAYAN party-list; Benilda Santos, the chairperson of Ateneo de Manila University - Filipino Department; and Tammy Bejerano, the senior creative manager of the film studio.[3]
The film was first premiered in the Philippines on June 26, 2001, at SM Megamall as well as a general release on June 27.[4] It had a Philippine television premiere on Cinema One and a world premiere on Cinemax.