Every picture tells a story

Mike de Leon remembers.

In his golden years, the independent-minded filmmaker, now retired (but still contemplating on whether he can make one last movie) has published Last Look Back — a highly visual, two-volume book of the history of his grandmother Doña Sisang de Leon’s LVN Studio, as well as his own career.

Some passages from the book capture what’s in store for the reader:

‘Mike de Leon’s Last Look Back’ is ‘a book written like a film — with photographs telling half the story.’

“Notwithstanding my inadequacies as a writer, I knew only I could talk about certain aspects of my cinema and LVN. So after several days of bewilderment and anxiety, I took the plunge. I decided I wouldn’t write a conventional autobiography or an academic treatise but a

photographic memoir, a casual summation of my life’s work, an informal discussion of the films I worked on from Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag to the two short political videos,

Kankungan (Swamp Cabbage Patch, 2019) and Mr. Li (2019). I also decided to revisit works beyond my own that continue to resonate with me.

“It would be a book written like a film — with photographs telling half the story.

“There have always been two LVNs in my mind. The first was my grandmother’s LVN — the studio, the stars, the movie premieres, the largely commercial movies she produced from the late ’30s peaking in the late ’50s, when I was a young boy of nine or 10.

“The other LVN was my father’s LVN — the prestige movies that were meant to compete in the Asian Film Festival, like Anak Dalita or Biyaya ng Lupa. It is clear which LVN I chose to follow in my career as a filmmaker.

“Biologically, I owe my life to my Lola (Grandma) Sisang and my parents, Manny and Imelda, or Melly, but as for my life in cinema, I owe it all to LVN.

“Therefore, I found it fitting to look back at my life in cinema for the last time, recount the good times and the bad, and assess my successes and failures. I’m compelled to keep the memory alive. I feel that should I still be fortunate to do

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM MIKE dE LEON'S 'LAST LOOK BACK' HILdA Koronel, 'Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising' (1977). new creative work, I want to close some doors for good.” Limited number of softbound copies of Last Look Back available till 31 January 2023. Email LLBcontramundum@gmail.com or contact 0945-280-7893.

daigdig' na Nestor de Villa, 'Tumbalik NIdA Blanca and (1953).

NOR Domingo with Mike de Leon, 'Bayaning 3rd World' (1999).

dING Achacoso and assistant cameraman Ben Villaverde, 'Bayaning 3rd World' (1999).

ROSA Rosal and Rogelio de la Rosa, 'Sarung Banggi' (1947).

nando Poe Jr.,

MARK Gil and Rod Leído, 'Batch 81' (1982).

LOLA Sisang with her first six grandchildren by her son, Manuel, and daughter, Amada, in 1950 (from left): Manito, Bols, Nenita, Ching, Mike, and BG.

CHARO Santos, 'Itim' (1976).

VILMA Santos in a deleted scene in 'Sister Stella L.' (1984).

BEMBOL Roco, 'Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag' (1975).