The Portrait (Ang Larawan), a rare musical film in contemporary Filipino cinema, tackles the conflict between pragmatism and art, an ode to the passing of the world of truth and beauty and a celebration of the tenacity of the spirits amidst the inevitable rise of materialism and consumerism...
Based on a 1997 musical by Rolando Tino (lyrics), ad Ryan Cayabyab (music), after a play by Nick Joaquin (Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino), The Portrait is set in old Manila just before World War 2.The musical film tells of the plight of Candida and Paula Marasigan, the daughters of painter Lorenzo “the Great,” who has not produced a painting for a long time, causing financial problems for his family. Reclusive for many years, he paints his final masterpiece as a gift to the sisters, and it becomes the buzz of Manila’s high society of the time. But Candida and Paula reject all offers to buy the famous painting, because they really feel guilty as their father tried committing suicide after finishing it...
However, one person who may be able to sway the sisters is the “crass” but charming vaudeville piano player Tony, who knows an affluent American potential buyer. In the end, the sisters are forced to confront their fears, their commitment to their fate and each other, and their desperate resolve to remain true to the old way of life they desperately try too cling on to...
Says Loy Arceñas on his film: “Music is deeply ingrained in the Filipino consciousness, but that has seldom been fully explored in the realm of film. And, as a nation, we, as Filipinos, have the tendency to deny and forget our own history in pursuit of the now and here, which has brought us to the crossroads that the nation faces right now. I took on The Portrait because I felt it touched on these two seemingly opposing facets. Hopefully, the film will help open up a clearer understanding of why we, Filipinos, are what we are at the moment, both ourselves and to the rest of the world.”
Loy Arceñas
Loy Arceñas (b. 1953) had an established career as a theatrical set designer and theater director in New York, before directing films. After many years dedicated to theater activities, he came back to Manila, and continued his theatrical activities , mainly with PETA (Arbol de fuego, after Čechov’s The Cherry Orchard), and the Tanghalang Filipino Company. Then, he also started directing films: Niño (2011), ReQuieme (2012), The Portrait (Ang Larawan, 2017), which premiered at the Tokyo Int. Film Festival, and won the Best Picture award at the Metro Manila Film Festival. He is now completing his fourth feature film, Mirador (2018), a drama on a woman’s obsession.
FILMOGRAPHY
2011 – Niño
2012 – ReQuieme
2017 – The Portrait
Max Tessier