(SPOT.ph) Katips, a Filipino period musical drama film written and directed Vincent M. Tañada, made waves recently after bagging eight categories in the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (a.k.a. FAMAS) on July 30. Amid the surge of COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant, the show only had two previous screenings: a limited screening at Gateway Mall in Quezon City on November 27, 2021 and a public screening on December 3, 2021. It had a commercial premiere on August 3.
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The movie follows a group of student activists led by student leader Greg (Jerome Ponce), who protest the imposition of Martial Law and the oppressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Katips was first written as a musical and staged in 2016. It was initially titled Katips: Mga Bagong Katipunero, which bagged the Aliw Awards for Best Musical Performance. The movie adaptation, on the other hand, won FAMAS Awards' Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Tañada, Best Supporting Actor (Johnrey Rivas), Best Cinematography (Manuel Abanto), Best Original Song ("Manhid" and "Sa Gitna ng Gulo"), and Best Musical (Pipo Cifra). That's a total of seven, the highest number of awards at FAMAS Awards 2022.
According to Tañada, one of his objectives in making the film is to educate and tell a forgotten history. The play, where the movie was based, incorporated experiences of Martial Law victims sourced through first-hand interviews. Writer Tañada also said that he had the help of a historian to make sure the chronological accuracy of events was preserved.
"You know, as an artist, it is also our objective not just to entertain people but more important than that, we are here to educate. We also want to educate the young people about the atrocities of Martial Law. Medyo nakalimutan natin ‘yon e, nakalimutan natin in the last elections and I guess we also have the responsibility na makapagturo at malaman ng kabataan ‘yung mga nangyari nung panahon na ‘yon," he stated.
Aside from being a director, writer, and actor, Tañada is also a lawyer. He is the grandson of the late activist-senator Lorenzo M. Tañada, a staunch critic of Marcos. Tañada won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature in 2011 for his full-length play Ang Bangkay.
Where to Watch Katips (as of August 3):
Metro Manila cinemas
- SM San Lazaro
- SM Manila
- Robinsons Ermita
- SM Megamall
- Podium
- SM Maison
- SM Mall of Asia
- SM Bicutan
- SM BF
- SM Fairview
- UP Town Center
- SM North
- Trinoma Glorietta
- SM Aura
- Grand Central
- SM Sangandaan
- Fishermall Malabon
- Robinsons Galleria
- Ortigas Estancia
- SM Sta. Lucia
- SM Southmall
- SM Sta. Mesa
- Robinsons Magnolia
- Gateway
- Cinema 76
- Fishermall Quezon Avenue
- Greenhills
- Ayala Circuit Makati
- Market! Market!
- Fairview Terraces
- Cloverleaf
- Ayala Manila Bay
- Lucky Chinatown
- Eastwood
- Newport Cinema
- Venice Grand Canal
- Uptown BGC
- Southwoods
- SM North Edsa
- Alabang Town Center
- Ayala Feliz
- SM Sucat
- Power Plant Cinema
Other cinemas in Luzon
- SM San Mateo
- SM Masinag
- Waltermart Gapan
- SM Bacoor
- SM Molino
- SM General Trias
- Robinsons General Trias
- SM Dasmarinas
- SM Trese Martires
- SM Marilao
- SM Baliwag
- Waltermart Sta. Maria
- SM Batangas
- SM Lipa
- Waltermart Tanauan
- SM Calamba
- SM San Pablo
- SM Lucena
- SM Pampanga
- SM Telabastagan
- SM Clark
- SM Olongapo Central
- SM Tarlac
- SM Naga
- Robinsons Naga
- SM Daet
- Central Plaza Daet
- SM Legazpi
- SM Rosales
- SM Baguio
- SM Sta. Rosa
- Robinsons San Pedro
- Southwoods
- Markee Mall Angeles
- SM Taytay
- Harbor Point Subic
- Solenad Cinema
- Ayala Legazpi
Visayas and Mindanao cinemas
- SM Bacolod
- SM Cebu
- Robinsons Galleria Cebu
- SM Seaside
- ICM Tagbilaran
- Festival Walk Iloilo
- BQ Tagbilaran
- Ayala Cebu
- SM Mindpro Zamboanga
- SM Butuan
- SM Cagayan de Oro
- SM Davao
- NCCC Mall
- SM Lanang
- Centrio CDO
UPDATED (August 5): This article has been updated to include Power Plant Cinema.
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