Two film classics restored

The restoration of Malvarosa and Biyaya ng Lupa using ABS-CBN’s own facilities is a milestone that we are proud of.

THE Charito Solis starrer that tells the poignant story of a family living in the slums near the railroad tracks won an award in the 5th Asian Film Festival.

ABS-CBN has restored two of the Philippines’ most significant and critically-acclaimed movies produced by LVN Pictures using its own facilities — a first for the company since establishing ABS-CBN Film Restoration and the ABS-CBN Film Archives.

“The restoration of Malvarosa and Biyaya ng Lupa using ABS-CBN’s own facilities is a milestone that we are proud of,” Leo Katigbak, head of ABS-CBN Film Restoration said at the screening of the two films at the recently held QCinema Film Festival.

Malvarosa, a story of a poverty-stricken family overcome by tragic circumstances starred legendary film actors Charito Solis, Leroy Salvador, Vic Silayan, Carlos Padilla Jr., Vic Diaz, Rey Ruiz, Eddie Rodriguez and Rebecca del Rio, who won the Best Actress at the 5th Asian Film Festival.

Biyaya ng Lupa is a family drama of epic scope starring Tony Santos Sr. and Rosal Rosal as married couple Jose and Maria. Their happy life, though not perfect, is marred upon the arrival of Bruno (Joseph de Cordova) into their lives. Bruno blames Jose for the series of misfortunes that he encounters and is determined to destroy the entire family.

The movie also starred Leroy Salvador, Carlos Padilla Jr., Marita Zobel and Danilo Jurado as the Jose and Maria’s children Miguel, Arturo, Angelita and Lito, respectively.

Salvador won Best Actor at the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) awards and Best Supporting Actor at the Asian Film Festival, while the movie was nominated as Best Picture in the Berlin International Film Festival and FAMAS awards in 1960.

Malvarosa and Biyaya ng Lupa were digitally scanned in 4k resolution and partially restored using the ABS-CBN Film Archives’ own equipment.

Upon undergoing the scan, the two movies’ brightness and contrast were also adjusted, their scratches and specks eliminated and audio noise such as pops, crackles, hiss and sizzles removed.

Majority of the titles that are in ABS-CBN’s archives were previously restored with the help of Central Digital Lab in Makati, Il Imagine Ritrovata in Hong Kong and Italy, and Kantana Post Production in Thailand.

BRUNO (Joseph de Cordova) is determined to destroy Jose’s family (Tony Santos Sr.) in “Biyaya ng Lupa.”

Through the years, ABS-CBN has already restored almost 180 titles, including Gerry de Leon’s Banaue, Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon, Mario O’Hara and Romy Suzara’s Mga Bilanggong Birhen, Danny Zialcita’s Karma, Peque Gallaga’s Oro Plata Mata, Mike de Leon’s Kakabakaba ka ba? and Ishmael Bernal’s Himala.

At the coming C1 Originals Festival, more restored films are coming, including Misteryo sa Tuwa and Bulaklak sa City Jail, which both premiered on 11 November.

Meanwhile, other restored classics that are set to attract movie aficionados at the festival are Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit, Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Tisoy! Mga Bilanggong Birhen, Bad Bananas sa Puting Tabing, and Nunal Sa Tubig.

ABS-CBN Film Archives has already completed the scanning of LVN classics like Ibong Adarna and Anak Dalita, and is set to complete the scanning of another Avellana masterpiece — Badjao. It is also working on Experimental Cinema of the Philippines’ last film, Soltero, as well as Danny Zialcita’s Tinimbang Ang Langit.

The continuous restoration of classic Filipino movies is ABS-CBN’s contribution to the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.