Out of Competition | Restored Classics | Online
Philippines, 1980 / restored 2024, 89’, Filipino
Directed by: Lino Brocka
Screenplay: Cenen Ramones
Cinematography (color): Conrado Baltazar
Editing: Agusto Salvador
Production Design: Joey Luna
Music: Max Jocson
Sound: Cesar Lucas, Levi Prinupe
Executive Producer: Nora Villamayor
Cast: Nora Aunor, Philip Salvador, Raquel Montesa, Marissa Delgado, Nanding Josef, Venchito Galvez
Date of First Release in Territory: December 25th, 1980
Bona opens with the annual pandemonium called the Feast of the Black Nazarene, where devotees of the miraculous image of the Black Nazarene come in droves from all over the Philippines. Right after this, we see the titular character watching an actor at a movie set intently. In this span of time, Brocka immediately offers us these parallels, illustrating the dangers of a movie star’s fan who religiously follows him on set.
Brocka, ever the master in social commentary, constructs Bona as a sly critique on the perils of blind idol worship. He sets up Nora Aunor – whose colossal stature in the industry makes her synonymous with Philippine cinema itself – to play a meek young woman who finds herself playing house with a second-rate macho star, Gardo (Philip Salvador). An early scene, where Bona gives Gardo a bath, already maps out the dynamics of their relationship. Further on, the film makes it clear: Gardo only needs Bona to tend to his needs, to wait on him hand and foot. Nothing more. It seems, though, that Bona is more than happy to do so. She fetches water, repairs his roof, mends his underwear, and looks for food around their neighborhood so they have something to eat. But this devotion can only reach a boiling point.
Though Aunor has played the role of a hapless young woman many times, it is still astonishing to find her as Bona. Aunor – a superstar actress who can command droves and droves of her fans – doesn’t simply just shrink herself to give her life for Gardo, she slowly allows herself to be consumed by her own illusions. We see this illustrated in the scene where Bona submissively holds a radio so the self-involved Gardo and his woman for the night can dance in the living room. The next day, Bona finds this new paramour eating their breakfast and calls her an “atsay” (maid). Bona understandably takes out all of her frustrations on her and drives her out of the house. “You’re the only one I’m willing to serve, Gardo,” she then tells him.
It should be noted that it’s not only Aunor who gives so much in their role in this movie. Salvador, who’s also a megawatt celebrity in his own right, and his portrayal of a narcissistic man-child gives the audience so much to hate for, attesting to how well he’s sunk into the skin of Gardo. Salvador, like Aunor, has already worked with Brocka several times before Bona and already gave a career-defining role as a poor security guard in the Cannes entry, Jaguar in 1979. He plays the perfect foil for Aunor here in Bona, where they both blur the lines between culprit and victim.
By the time she signed up to produce Bona, Aunor had already built a formidable filmography not only as an actress but as a producer as well, with films such as the tribal epic Banaue (1975), the Japanese Occupation-set drama Three Years Without God (1976), and the Lord of the Flies riff Blood of Tar (1975) – all directed by the great auteurs of their generation. The decision to produce a film such as Bona is a testament to her commitment to creating a body of work in service of cinema. The film won Aunor Best Actress at the 1981 Urian Awards. Bona was eventually screened at the 1981 Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.
Lino Brocka
The premier Filipino auteur was also a theater director, screenwriter, and producer. His debut film was the family melodrama
Wanted Perfect Mother (1970). It would only take five years for Brocka to come out with
Manila in the Claws of Light, which is considered by many Filipino critics as the Best Filipino Film of All Time. His film
Insiang (1976) would become the first Filipino film to be screened at Cannes. Brocka lived an activist’s life and was an outspoken critic of the Philippine government during his time. He died in 1991.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
1970 – Wanted: Perfect Mother
1974 – Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (You Were Judged and Found Wanting)
1975 – Manila in the Claws of Light
1976 – Insiang
1980 – Angela Markado
1984 – Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (My Country, on the Edge of a Knife)
1991 – Makiusap ka sa Diyos (A Plea to God)