''Manila by Night'' (initially released as ''City After Dark'') is a

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

Filipino drama film directed by

Ishmael Bernal Ishmael Bernal (September 30, 1938 – June 2, 1996) was a Philippines, Filipino filmmaker, stage and television director, actor and screenwriter. Noted for his melodramas, particularly with feminist and moral issues, he directed many landmark ...

from a script by Bernal and

Ricky Lee Ricardo Arreola Lee ONA (born March 19, 1948) is a Filipino screenwriter, journalist, novelist, and playwright. Starting in 1973, he has written more than 180 film screenplays and collaborated with many of the Philippines' most notable film di ...

, and stars

Gina Alajar Regina Liguid Alatiit (born June 28, 1959), professionally known as Gina Alajar (), is a Filipino film and television actress and director. One of the most awarded actresses in Philippine cinema, she has won the Philippine movie grand slam, r ...

and

Charito Solis Rosario Violeta Hernández Solís (October 6, 1935 – January 9, 1998), professionally known as Charito Solís, was a Filipino film actress. She was considered among the major dramatic film actresses in the Philippines, with a career spannin ...

. Released at the height of the

Marcos regime Marcos may refer to: People with the given name ''Marcos'' *Marcos (given name) * Marcos family Sports ;Surnamed * Dayton Marcos, Negro league baseball team from Dayton, Ohio (early twentieth-century) * Dimitris Markos, Greek footballer * Né ...

, the film uncovers the other face of Manila by depicting the ugly aspects of life in the city – unemployment, prostitution, drug addiction and lack of decent housing. Considered one of Bernal's masterpieces, it is an epic

multi-narrative Multiperspectivity (sometimes polyperspectivity) is a characteristic of narration or representation, where more than one perspective is represented to the audience. Most frequently the term is applied to fiction which employs multiple narrators, ...

of people who have shady pasts and are trying to exist in an unforgiving world.

Plot

The film's events take place in the course of several nights, involving various protagonists and the city itself.

Cast

Production

Lily Monteverde Lily Yu Chu-Monteverde (19 August 1938 – 4 August 2024), known as Mother Lily and professionally credited as Lily Yu Monteverde, was a Chinese Filipino film producer and businesswoman. Monteverde was one of the first Filipina movie produc ...

Regal Films Regal Entertainment Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film, television production and distribution headquartered in New Manila, Quezon City. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. Regal Enter ...

approached

to direct a large-scale production to commemorate the second anniversary of the production outfit. Bernal had previously directed ''Salawahan'' for Monteverde's Regal Films. For the production, Bernal came up with a sequence list, based on different locales, but decided to have the scenes improvised by a cast assembled from Regal Film's stable, as well as industry friends.

Restoration

The film was restored in 4K resolution by the Philippine Film Archive, the film archives division of the

Film Development Council of the Philippines The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is the national film agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines responsible for film policies and programs to ensure the economic, cultural and educational development of ...

, and Central Digital Lab as part of the "Save Our Cinema Restoation Program". The restored version was premiered as part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020 exhibition.

Reception

Critical response

The film's original title is ''Manila by Night'', but was later renamed to ''City After Dark'' for its initial release. Former first lady Imelda Marcos asked for the title to be changed and that the film be banned for export, believing that the film "maligns her city". The film has since been considered as Ishmael Bernal's masterpiece.

Accolades

References

External links

* * 1980 films 1980 drama films 1980s fantasy drama films 1980s Tagalog-language films 1980s Philippine films Films directed by Ishmael Bernal Films with screenplays by Ricky Lee Films produced by Lily Y. Monteverde Films set in Manila Philippine fantasy drama films Regal Entertainment films {{1980s-Philippines-film-stub