Chito S. Roño had his initial training in film at the University of the Philippines Film Center. He majored in Broadcasting and did substantial theatre work at the university before taking up further studies at the New School for Social Research in New York City. This was followed by a scriptwriting course at the Grey Film Atelier in upstate New York, and a cinematography course at Centro Statale di Cinematografia e Film in Rome.
Roño received wide acclaim for his debut film Private Show (1986), winning awards from both the local critics’ group and the entertainment press. His next project, Olongapo, The Great American Dream, tackled the lives of the Filipinos residing in the American military base in Subic. It was adjudged Best Picture at the 1987 Metro Manila Film Festival. The following year, Roño reaped more Best Director trophies for the drama, Itanong Mo Sa Buwan (Ask the Moon).
Since then, Roño has demonstrated an adroit touch and unfailing intelligence in a host of genres: from drama in Narito Ang Puso (The Heart is Here, 1992) to musical in Sige, Ihataw Mo (Go On, Move, 1994), from period political thriller in Eskapo (Escape, 1995) to horror in Patayin Sa Sindak Si Barbara (Kill Barbara With Fear, 1995) and action in Dahas (Violence, 1995). His drama Nasaan Ang Puso (Where Is The Heart) swept the major awards in the 1997 Metro Manila filmfest.
1998 proved to be a banner year for Roño, as he unveiled Curacha, the story of the last 24 hours in the life of a live-sex performer; the feminist drama Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa (Lea’s Story), which won the Best Director Prize at the 1999 Brussels International Independent Film Festival; and Babae Sa Bintana (Woman at the Window), a tale of sexual obsession and its consequences.
In recent years Roño has had great success with the youth-oriented adventure films Spirit Warriors (2000) and its sequel, and Yamashita: The Tiger’s Treasure (2001). Even as he experimented with special effects, he turned out some of his most significant films: Laro Sa Baga (Playing in the Embers, 2000), La Vida Rosa (The Life of Rose, 2000), and Dekada 70 (2002), which dealt with the recent political history of the Philippines as experienced by one family. His latest project, Feng Shui, was one of his biggest commercial hits, playing in local theatres for over a month.