Beyond nostalgia: Sagip Pelikula brings Filipino classics back to life 

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Several Ayala cinemas will bring Filipino classics back to the big screen this April, with a special ticket price of P180

MANILA, Philippines – Imagine watching a film you directed 34 years ago, expecting the grainy, faded visuals of the past — only to see it reborn in stunning clarity, as if it were made just a couple of years back. 

This was the experience of Chito S. Roño, who never imagined Kailan Ka Magiging Akin could look this fresh again.

“Watching it now, parang sobrang alaga na restoration ang ginawa nila,” the multi-awarded filmmaker said.

“Feeling ko ‘tong Sagip Pelikula, mahal nila ginagawa nila kaya nakakamangha ‘yung quality ng ginagawa nilang restoration. [Even for a 34-year-old] movie, [the] enhancement [made it look like] as if it was filmed two years ago lang, ganun,” he added.

(Watching it now, they were really meticulous with the restoration. I feel that the people behind Sagip Pelikula really love what they do, that’s why the restoration was so impressive. Even for a 34-year-old movie, the enhancement made it look like as if it was filmed two years ago.)

Sagip Pelikula is ABS-CBN’s film restoration project, which digitally restores and remasters select Filipino movies. 

In partnership with Ayala Malls Cinemas, the screening billed as “A Rewind” will bring Filipino classics back to the big screen from April 9 to 13 with special rates of P180 for regular tickets and P160 for students.

Beyond nostalgia, the initiative also gives younger movie buffs to appreciate award-winning local films.

MEMORIES. Actors (from left) Carmina Villaroel and Janice de Belen react during the screening of their restored film ‘Kailan Ka Magiging Akin.’

For Leo Katigbak, head of ABS-CBN’s Sagip Pelikula, this screening was particularly significant.

“This is a very, very special event for us,” Katigbak shared. “Before the pandemic, we had a lot of partnerships with Ayala. But what excites me the most about this one is that even with our limited resources, Kailan Ka Magiging Akin was restored completely in-house at ABS-CBN Archives.”

The restoration process — scanning by Marco Gatpandan and enhancement by Mikael Pestaño — brought new life to the film. The presence of the cast and crew also made it more meaningful, said Katigbak.

“Any commitment they had to promote the movie lapsed so many years ago,” he said. “But when we invited them, they said yes right away. That means a lot.”

Reunion through film

For Janice de Belen, who won Best Actress in the 1991 Manila FIlmfest for the movie, seeing a restored version of Kailan Ka Magiging Akin decades later was both an honor and a surreal experience.

“I know to restore a film is already expensive and already hard, [so] to have one of my films chosen to be restored, siyempre, grabe, malaking honor siya (it’s a big honor). Exciting for me because this is one of my favorite films,” said De Belen.

Carmina Villarroel, who was still a teenager when the film was made, shared her excitement upon seeing the film’s promotional materials again.

“Nakakatuwa! Excited akong panoorin kasi parang nakalimutan ko na yung story, hindi ko na completely maalala talaga,” she said, noting she showed  her husband and actor Zoren Legaspi the movie poster where she was only 15 or 16 years old.

(It’s amusing! I’m excited to watch it because I cannot completely remember the story.)

As the credits rolled, the cast was teary-eyed, watching their younger selves on screen. From young industry hopefuls to established figures in the industry, most of the actors felt the film had become a time capsule of their journey. 

After the screening, actor Julio Diaz also shared high fives with his fellow cast members, celebrating the film’s revival with joy and nostalgia.

“Films are not just entertainment; they are cultural treasures that reflect and shape our society,” said Yvette Roldan, ancillary business head of Ayala Malls.

The inaugural screenings from April 9 to 13 will feature Chito Roño’s Kailan Ka Magiging Akin and Mario O’Hara’s Tatlong Ina, Isang Anak in the following cinemas:

• Ayala Malls The 30th
• Ayala Malls Cloverleaf
• Ayala Malls Fairview Terraces
• Ayala Malls MarQuee Mall
• Ayala Malls Legazpi

– Rappler.com