‘His light endures’: More tributes for Mike de Leon

After the passing of Mike de Leon on 28 August, colleagues, artists, cultural workers and others shared their encounters with the legendary filmmaker, many paying homage.

These tributes and anecdotes are testaments to his artistry and his enduring impact on generations of filmmakers and Filipinos in general. They also provide glimpses of insights on the life of De Leon, constituting a cultural history.

Among those who paid tributes to De Leon are actors Charo Santos-Concio, Fernando Josef and Audie L. Gemora; filmmaker and film scholar Nick Deocampo; filmmakers Robert Quebral and Jay Altarejos; film producer Chuck Gutierrez; and writers Ian Rosales Casocot and Angelo “Sarge” Lacuesta.

Joining in this symphony of voices is broadcast journalist Atom Araullo, who wrote on his Facebook page, “Grateful to have witnessed and shared in your immense contribution to Philippine cinema.”

Araullo was personally chose by De Leon to be the lead in his film Citizen Jake, but their relationship turned sour during making the film.

Actor Joel Torre, who starred in De Leon’s Bilanggo sa Dilim (1986) and Bayaning 3rd World (2000), also posted his own experience with De Leon: “What Mike De Leon knows. What an honor to work with the great Mike De Leon. A greater honor when you called me “My Dear Friend Joel.” When you called me to have a picture taken with you in the hospital, he knows. When I visited you in your house and you cried and I hugged you, he knew. When I went to Baguio to visit you a day after your 78th birthday we talked about everything and anything from films to family to friendship to gallows humor, to your swan song movie, he knew. When I embraced you for the last time and softly said to you, “I love you, Mike,” I know he knows. Farewell and thank you my dear friend Mike, for the friendship and bond that goes beyond. Rest in God’s peace my genius friend.”

ABS-CBN Film Restoration head Leo Katigbak recalled that the “ABS-CBN Sagip Team has had the pleasure of working, and often times fighting with Mike [well that was me] in the course of some 15 years restoring Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit, Kakabakaba Ka Ba?, Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising and LVN Classics Giliw Ko, Mutya Ng Pasig, Sumpaan, Anak Dalita, Biyaya Ng Lupa, Badjao, Malvarosa, Prinsipe Tenoso [in color], Ibong Adarna, Triplets, Sandata at Pangako, Nukso ng Nukso [and was about to start Pista sa Nayon from 1948 before the restoration group was dissolved].”

“We always asked for his input which Mike would willingly give. He even provided all the audio elements for Mangarap from his personal files including a remix of the ending, gave directions on Kakaba Ka Ba? with Ritrovata, helped us with translations and other elements for the LVN titles when available and give some insight about the old movies we were about to work on,” he wrote. “The initial years were somewhat testy but Mike would always be there to support and it didn’t hurt that Julie Navarro Galino was with the team and she had long worked with Mike in LVN before joining the ABS-CBN Archives arguably she was the most knowledgeable about LVN as a whole after Mike.”

“There was also Jo Atienza and Charo Santos Concio whose friendship with Mike allowed us considerable access even when my dealings with Mike was not so rosy. In the last few years, Mike often had kind words for us, thanking ABS-CBN Film Restoration for its efforts to preserve the LVN legacy. He had mentioned it to me a few times but I have also heard it from Jo and Charo and quite a few others who were close to Mike. That always filled my heart. Thank you Mike de Leon for your gift of films and giving us the opportunity to work with you and learn from your brilliance. We will always remember you,” he ended.

Scriptwriter Bibeth Orteza also shared her experiences with De Leon in a Facebook post she titled, “Fainting on cue, for Mike de Leon”: “Summer of 1977. On the night the ice cream parlor scene in “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising” was to be shot, Mike was antsy. Pancho Escaler and I asked him why so, and he said he had an argument with his dad, LVN top honcho Manuel de Leon, earlier that day.

“I suggested that he pack up that evening’s schedule, but he refused, saying he didn’t want his dad to feel he was affected by their earlier conversation. So when cinematographer Pancho went back to supervising the lighting set up, I whispered to our director: ‘I can faint on cue.’ He asked, ‘How?’

“Crossing over to the bar where Christopher de Leon, Danny Javier, Boboy Garovillo and I were supposed to be seated, I gestured to Mike how I could stand on tiptoe with one foot, and from there, glide down to the floor as if I’d really fainted. Mike first wanted to make sure I wouldn’t get hurt, and when I assured him I knew what I was doing, he whispered: ‘Just don’t get hurt, OK? And also, do your fainting bit before the scene starts, so we don’t have to pay the extras in the background.’

“I nodded. When Mike went ‘Motor!’ that was my cue. I ‘fainted,’ sliding down all the way to the floor. Shooting didn’t push through; Mike sent every one home except for Pancho, his secretary Marietta Sta. Juana and me, so that I could ‘rest.’”

Film companies, institutions and cultural bodies also paid tribute to a filmmaker who was both innovator and guardian of the country’s cinematic heritage.

“Paalam at salamat, Direk Mike!” wrote GMA Pictures, calling him “one of Philippine cinema’s most brilliant filmmakers, known for stories that confront social issues and amplify the voices of the marginalized.” They highlighted his celebrated works as a cinematographer and director — from Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag to Sister Stella L., Itim, Batch ’81, and Kakabakaba Ka Ba? — all of which continue to inspire audiences across generations. They also recalled his return with Citizen Jake in 2018, “after nearly two decades away from the director’s chair,” calling the film “a powerful story about truth, power, and social justice.”

Regal Entertainment, Inc., the latest iteration of Regal Films, said, “His collaboration with us in Sister Stella L. (1984) remains a bold testament to his unmatched artistry and courage — bringing social realism and political commentary into the heart of Philippine cinema.”

“Direk Mike pushed boundaries and inspired generations. We honor his legacy with deepest gratitude. May his passion continue to stir every frame and every soul,” they added.

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) described him as “the genius behind generation-defining cinematic classics Itim (1976), Kisapmata (1981), Batch ‘81 (1982), Sister Stella L (1984), and Citizen Jake (2018)” and that he “shone a light on the beauty and pain of the downtrodden and repressed, bringing their stories to the cultural forefront.”

FDCP chairman, the scriptwriter and filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes, declared that his “life was dedicated to film. His consistent imagination to explore the language of cinema shaped what we understand of Philippine filmmaking today.”

The University of the Philippines (UP) Film Institute also expressed profound loss: “UPFI mourns with the rest of the film industry and artistic community the passing of Mike de Leon — the award-winning director of a string of acclaimed films from the time of Itim, his debut in 1976.” They honored him as a scion of the De Leon clan who helped build LVN and elevate Philippine cinema’s golden age. They recalled the rare feat of having Kisapmata and Batch ’81 screened together at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, his 2022 memoir Last Look Back, and the 2023 Blu-ray box set of his works produced by Carlotta Films in Paris. At the time of his passing, he was awaiting the 4K restoration of Sister Stella L. at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna. For UPFI, his numerous screenings at their Film Center sparked “significant discussions about cinema and its relation to Philippine history, culture and politics.”

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) joined the nation in mourning: “He leaves behind a body of work that helped shape Philippine cinema and continues to inspire countless filmmakers and audiences alike.” The CCP singled out Kisapmata, Batch ’81 and Sister Stella L. for their piercing depictions of social and political realities, all recognized among the Ten Best Films of the Decade (1980–1989) by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino. They added: “His invaluable contributions and generosity to the Philippine film industry will always be remembered.”

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts described De Leon as “a visionary filmmaker whose uncompromising artistry reshaped Philippine cinema.” They recalled how his earliest works, Itim and Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising, signaled the arrival of a major talent, and how his defining films bravely confronted authoritarianism and social unrest. They emphasized that his legacy lies not just in accolades but in “the conscience he gave to cinema — a mirror of truth, memory, and nationhood. His light endures through the films he leaves behind.”