After a staggering 84 years since its original theatrical release in 1939, the LVN musical drama “Giliw Ko” has made a triumphant return to The Metropolitan Theatre. Starring Mila del Sol, often referred to as the ‘Queen of Philippines Golden Cinema,’ “Giliw Ko” is among the rare few films from the pre-World War 2 era that have managed to endure without complete deterioration.
Leo Katigbak, the head of ABS-CBN Film Restoration and Archives, explained the extensive efforts required for this restoration project. He said, “Most of the film elements were in bad shape. That’s why we had to repeatedly rescan some scenes frame by frame. The audio restoration was also a challenge, as the quality in parts had degraded to the point of being muffled, unintelligible, and grating. The scanning and enhancement were completed at ABS-CBN Film Archives while the audio was done at Narra by Wildsound Studios.”
Directed and written by Carlos Vander Tolosa, “Giliw Ko” narrates the tale of Guia (Mila del Sol), a young woman blessed with an extraordinary singing voice, making her the center of attention for all the eligible bachelors in the hacienda.
In her pursuit of her dreams, Guia agrees to collaborate with Antonio (Ely Ramos), a gifted musician and the son of a hacienda owner who is betrothed to a socialite named Rosie (Fleur De Lis). However, Guia misinterprets Antonio’s attention as love and hastily returns to the hacienda to reunite with Jose (Fernando Poe Sr.), a hardworking ranch hand and Guia’s longtime suitor and admirer.
ABS-CBN Film Restoration continues its mission to restore and remaster films created by renowned directors and writers, allowing contemporary audiences to appreciate these cinematic treasures through its Sagip Pelikula initiative. These restoration endeavors have garnered multiple accolades from prestigious award-giving bodies worldwide, including the Gold Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Gawad Pedro Bucaneg from Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), and most recently, the Gawad PASADO sa Pagsisinop ng mga De Kalibreng Pelikula distinction from the 23rd Gawad PASADO organized by Pampelikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro (PASADO).
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