Charo Santos as Mila in Mike de Leon’s “Kisapmata” (Image: screengrab from YouTube/Citizen Jake)
Renowned filmmaker Mike de Leon’s 1981 film “Kisapmata,” which stars a young Charo Santos, is available for free streaming only today, Dec. 19.
De Leon uploaded the restored version of the classic film through his “Citizen Jake” account on the video-sharing platform Vimeo. The film became available for viewing earlier at 7 a.m. and will only be up until 11 p.m.
“Kisapmata,” based on the true and chilling murder-suicide case of the Cabading family back in 1961, was inspired by Nick Joaquin’s (writing under his pseudonym Quijano de Manila) telling of the events through the crime report “The House on Zapote Street,” which was published in the Philippines Free Press magazine.
The grim case of the Cabadings involves family patriarch Pablo and wife Asuncion getting into a domestic dispute. In a gruesome turn of events, the dispute ended with Pablo, a police detective, shooting his wife, their only daughter Lydia and son-in-law Leonardo, before he shot and killed himself as well.
In “Kisapmata,” Santos plays Milagros “Mila” Carandang, the daughter of retired police officer Diosdado “Dadong” Carandang, who was played by Vic Silayan. The impressive ensemble of cast also includes Jay Ilagan as Noel Manalansan, Charito Solis as Dely Carandang and Ruby Rustia as Peping Manalansan, among others.
The film was restored at the L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, and Wildsound Studios in Manila, according to Casa Grande Vintage Filipino Cinema on Facebook earlier today.
The project was co-funded by UnionBank and De Leon himself. The restored version premiered just last August at Il Cinema Ritrovato (Rediscovered Cinema) in Bologna, Italy. /ra
RELATED STORIES:
Baron Geisler joins Viva Artists Agency
Filipino Canadian voice actor is Bugs Bunny in ‘Space Jam 2’