NATIONAL
ARTIST
RESEARCH
ANALYSIS
Submitted by:
Queen Janah Salitrero
Grade and Section:
Grade 12- STEM ENGINEERING 2
Submitted to:
Teacher Christian Noel Blantucas, LPT
Name: Marilou Diaz Abaya
Date of birth: March 30, 1955
Date of death: October 8, 2012
Year of Conferment / Posthumous: She died in the year
2012, but was conferred as a National Artist of the
Philippines for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022.
Life Background:
Marilou Díaz-Abaya was a multi-awarded Filipino director and writer. She was the
founder and president of the Marilou Díaz-Abaya Film Institute and Arts Center, a film
school based in Antipolo City, Philippines. She was born in Quezon City in 1955, Ms.
Diaz-Abaya attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and studied film at
the London International Film School. Since releasing her first picture in 1980, she has
been among the foremost directors in Filipino cinema. Her early films included “Brutal”,
“Of the Flesh”, and “Baby Tsina”, sharp condemnations of the oppressive social system
of the Marcos era. These and the works of a master Lino Brocka brought Philippine
cinema to worldwide attention.
Marcos regime fell in 1986 and was replaced by the government of Corazon Aquino.
Ms. Diaz-Abaya left filmmaking for several years and produced television programs
dealing with social and political problems to achieve social reform. Since launching her
career as a film director, she has consistently worked for the establishment of
democracy in the Philippines. With the release of “Redeem Her Honor” in 1995, she
returned to the cinema in a burst of activity. In the films that followed, including
“Madonna and Child”, “In the Navel of the Sea”, “Jose Rizal”, and “Reef Hunters”, she
has consistently maintained an uncompromising stance in her examination of difficult
social problems. At the same time, her work became richer, suffused with affection for
the people of the underclass, women, and children, who struggle to survive in harsh
conditions. As films, Ms. Diaz-Abaya’s work contained an even greater generosity of
spirit and human warmth. She was married to cinematographer and educator Manolo
Abaya and they have two sons: singer/actor Marc Abaya and David Abaya, a
cinematographer. She died due to breast cancer on October 8, 2012.
Three Famous Artworks and Descriptions
- Jose Rizal (1998) by: Marilou Diaz Abaya
The movie tells the life story of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. It covers
his life from his childhood to his execution at the hands of the Spanish forces occupying
the Philippines in the late 19th century. We are also thrown into the world of Rizal’s
novels (filmed in black and white), so we get a glimpse of how he viewed Filipino society
under the Spanish heal. The movie introduces us to the life of subjugation of the Filipino
people under the rule of the Spanish friars. From the execution of three Filipino priests
in 1872 for alleged subversion to the harsh and unequal treatment of Filipino students in
the schools, this film is a flashing indictment of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines.
We see scenes both from Rizal’s actual life but also from his imagination The movie
focuses on the condition of the society and also to the government at the time of the
Spanish Colonization. With the use of the novels, “Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo” written by himself the Filipinos have been awaken to the reality such as
the abusive ways of the Spaniards towards the Filipino people. It really gave the picture
of abusing and oppression of the Spanish Government and also the Friars. Because of
that, Dr. Jose Rizal finally realized that writing was the best way on how to awake the
hearts of these poor Filipino and that the start of the climax, the start of fighting. Rizal
didn’t really stay being blind, mute and deaf in fighting the condition of the Filipino. He
also criticized the Friars in using the religion for abusing the people. The movie had
successfully showed some of the characteristics of the Filipino like being brave and
Patriotism especially at the time of Rizal. But lastly, the most important for him was to
give his country the freedom and justice until the end of his life.

Brutal
In 1980, it is depicting a story of a woman who killed her abusive husband, marking
the beginning of Marilou Diaz Abaya`s “Feminist Trilogy”. Brutal is the first Filipino
movie to tackle rape as a feminist issue in the context of the Philippine patriarchal
society. It tells about a woman ,after killing her husband and his friends, she goes into
post-traumatic shock and withdraws from any form of communication. A feminist
journalist becomes interested in the case and resolves to unravel the truth behind the
murders.
“Monica Real is arrested for the murder of her husband and his two friends. Only she
knows the reason for the crime, but she is in a trauma. Monica's case draws the interest
of Clara Valdez, a feminist and journalist who is living with a young executive. In her
investigation of the case, Clara talks to Monica's mother, who tells her of Monica's
timidity and her rape by the man she eventually married. Clara also meets Cynthia who
reveals Monica's "other" personality, which stemmed from her association with the
sexually wayward Cynthia. In the end, Clara convinces Cynthia to pay Monica a last
visit. The patient finally speaks and tells of the sexual humiliations that drove her to
murder.”

Bagong Buwan ( New Moon)
The film tells the story of a Muslim doctor who returns to his homeland where the
Philippine military is at war against the MILF. While he endeavors to lead his family and
other civilians to safety, he struggles to reconcile his professional and religious
principles.
Awards Received
During Marilou Abaya`s career as a filmmaker, Marilou received numerous
recognitions from Metro Manila Film Festival, FAMAS, and Gawad Urian, and a
Fukuoka Prize for Culture and Arts in Japan in 2001. She had trained aspiring
filmmakers with the establishment of the Marilou Diaz-Abaya Film Institute and Arts
Center in 2007.
Makes the National Artist unique from the others (art theme)
Marilou Diaz Abaya is the vanguard of contemporary Philippine filmmakers. She
conveys the Asian spirit to the world through works that depict the joy and sadness
of common people with great vitality. Her superb films are indictments that harshly
examines the reality of the Philippines today, and are filled with warmth and
affection for the common people, surviving on their strength.
One artwork and its analysis

Brutal –
Name: Ricky Lee / Ricardo Lee
Date of Birth: March 19, 1948
Date of Death: He is still alive/present
Year of Conferment / Posthumous: He was conferred the Order of National Artists of
the Philippines for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022.
Life Background:
Ricardo A. Lee (Ricky Lee) is a writer from the Philippines. He is popular as one of the
country’s best scriptwriters in the field of film and television, although he is also known
for his artistic contributions in the field of short stories, novels, plays and journalism.
More than 150 screenplays have been produced since 1973 and have received he won
more than 50 trophies from different film associations. (Urian Lifetime Achievement
Award, Cannes, Toronto, Berlin Film Festival.
Awards Received: He has written over 180 film scripts since 1973, earning him over 70
titles from various award organizations, including three Lifetime Achievement Awards
from the Cinemanila, Gawad, Urian and International Film Festival. PMPC. He is also
the recipient of the UP Gawad Plaridel 2015, as well as one of the recipients of the
Gawad CCP Award 2015. And this 2018, the recipient of the Gawad Dangal ni Balagtas
award, the recipient of the Apolinario Mabini Achievement award, Special Citation for
the award ABS-CBN Walk On Water and recently awarded the CAMERA OBSCURA
Award from the Film Development Council of the Philippines As a screenwriter, he has
worked with many Filipino directors, notably with Lino Brocka, Marilou Diaz-Abaya and
Ishmael Bernal. Many of his films have been screened at international film festivals in
Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, among others.