There is nothing quite like sitting in a dark theater and watching history come back to life in jaw-dropping quality. On 4 September, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) kicked off Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) 2026 at Shangri-La Plaza’s Red Carpet Cinema with a restored screening of Lino Brocka’s landmark film Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang. Themed “Pelikula: Ginintuang Ikalawa,” this year’s festival marks the 50th anniversary of the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema—and opening with Brocka’s classic set the bar sky-high.

That was actually my first time seeing the movie, and wow—the restoration was incredible. It kicks off with a sepia flashback that makes it a bit tricky to catch every detail. But the second the opening credits wrap and the scenes roll out in vivid, razor-sharp color, paired with ridiculously crisp sound inside Cinema 1, it becomes an absolute treat to watch.

Sitting there watching this 1974 masterpiece made me feel a bit sad, too. You really have to wonder: why don’t we see movies like this being made anymore? Nowadays, the most brave and important Filipino stories seem to hide away in indie film festivals instead of lighting up commercial theaters. Watching Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang was a reminder of how a movie can tell a deeply local story while still shouting something profound about the world around it.

The film stars a 17-year-old Christopher de Leon in his very first movie role. Watching him share the screen with cinematic icons like Lolita Rodriguez, Eddie Garcia, Hilda Koronel, and Mario O’Hara makes saving this piece of history mean so much more. While we patiently wait and hope for another Golden Age to hit our local movie scene, we can at least dive back into the classics and rediscover the absolute gems that shaped our cinematic history.

Looking back at the Second Golden Age

For PFIM 2026, the FDCP is celebrating that Second Golden Age, spotlighting the mid-1970s through the late 1980s. Their program honors legendary directors like Ishmael Bernal, Lino Brocka, Mario O’Hara, Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara, Mike De Leon, and Eddie Romero.

Kickstarting the festival with Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang was a brilliant call. Even though it came out in 1974, it is widely credited with paving the way for the golden era that officially exploded in 1976, with masterpieces like Itim, Insiang, Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo, Ganito Kami Noon… Paano Kayo Ngayon?, and Nunal sa Tubig, all of which will be screened at FDCP Cinematheque Centres nationwide as part of this year’s celebration.

A filmmaker finds his calling

During his opening speech, FDCP chairman and CEO Jose Javier Reyes shared how meeting Brocka and a young Christopher de Leon completely changed his life path:

“Even before I saw Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, I had the opportunity to meet and interview Lino Brocka. I had the opportunity to meet the 18-year-old Christopher de Leon. And after the interview, after an hour and a half of talking to Lino Brocka, that became a turning point in my life. That was when I decided to become a screenwriter.

“Why was that so? Because Lino shared with me the importance of Philippine movies and why there should be greater importance, as far as the audience is concerned, in the creation of Philippine movies.”

“Perhaps what is even more significant is that this was in 1974. Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang brought Filipinos back to watching Filipino movies. Before that period, very few people watched Filipino movies. Philippine movies were considered to be only for the ‘muchachas.’ But when Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang was released, college students and the middle class started flocking to cinemas to watch Filipino movies. And lo and behold, two years later, the Golden Age took place.

“In other words, Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang opened the door to the Second Golden Age. Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang is one of the most important films in the history of Philippine cinema.

“That was why, when I was given the opportunity to head the FDCP and the restoration project, I said that one of the films that needed to be restored was Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang. And again, lo and behold, we found it and restored it. So, I’m ready to retire.”

A classic for a new generation

Over five decades later, Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang remains a powerful reminder of what Philippine cinema can achieve when Filipino stories are given the space, ambition and care they deserve.

Through PFIM 2026, the FDCP is giving these films, filmmakers and stories another moment in the spotlight, inviting a new generation to discover the Second Golden Age of Philippine cinema and understand why its legacy still matters today.