As tribute to his 50-year legacy in the filmmaking industry, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP)’s Philippine Film Archive (PFA) showcases free screenings of nine (9) films from the seminal works of Elwood “El Maestro” Perez on the FDCP Channel from September 25 to 30.
PFA’s “50 Years / 50 Films: An Elwood Perez Film Retrospective” features Perez’s “Isang Gabi… Tatlong Babae!,” “Inday Garutay,” “Masarap, Masakit ang Umibig,” “Nakawin Natin ang Bawa’t Sandali,” “Stepsisters,” “Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos,” “Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit,” “Otso,” and “Esoterika: Manila.”
Perez, a two-time Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Awards Best Director and three-time Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Best Director, directed his first feature film “Blue Boy” in 1970. Among the famous celebrities he has worked with are Star For All Seasons Vilma Santos-Recto, Philippine Cinema’s “Superstar” Nora Aunor, and the the reigned “Sex Goddess of Philippine Movies” in the ’70s and ’80s, Alma Moreno.
Nestor Cuartero of the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd) expressed the significance of the retrospective: “The Elwood Perez Retrospective is an opportunity for today’s audiences to absorb the cinematic art of the director known in his time as a superstar director.”
“The nine-film retrospective, from September 25 to 30, celebrates Perez’s 50th anniversary as a multi-awarded filmmaker, a career marked by his strong presence in the industry through a gallery of films remembered for blending both artistic and commercial merits,” he added.
In 2013, FDCP awarded Perez “Master Filmmaker” for his film “Otso” in the Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival All Masters Edition along with 11 other veteran Filipino filmmakers. He is also one of Philippine Cinema’s Sine Sandaan Luminaries.
“Elwood ‘El Maestro’ Perez is the only living master of his generation with over 50 films in his name. As we near the end of the very 1st celebration of Philippine Film Industry Month, we honor one of Philippine Cinema’s icons through a film retrospective of his notable works,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.
FDCP also held a Gala Night to officially launch the “50 Years / 50 Films: An Elwood Perez Film Retrospective” on the FDCP Channel last September 25. Perez’s retrospective featured a performance by The Company, hosted by Miss Kakki Teodoro, heartfelt messages from celebrities he has worked with such as Charo Santos-Concio, Rio Locsin, Dexter Doria, and Gloria Diaz, which was followed by a special screening of “Esoterika: Manila.”
Perez, who was present during the gala night, expressed his thanks for the retrospective. “May God protect and bless you all, moviegoers, movie-makers, and the people behind the FDCP. I will always be grateful. From the bottom of my heart, mamahalin at mahal ko kayong lahat. Chair Liza Diño, through whose initiative this is happening right now, I will always be grateful to you.”
The Elwood Perez Retrospective is part of the 1st Philippine Film Industry Month celebration spearheaded by FDCP.