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Bulaklak sa City Jail (The Flowers of the City Jail) is a 1984 Filipino neo noir crime prison drama film directed by Mario O'Hara from a story and screenplay written by Lualhati Bautista that is based on her novel of the same name. The film depicts the situation of women in the city jail.[1]
| Bulaklak sa City Jail | |
|---|---|
 Official movie poster, released in 1984. | |
| Directed by | Mario O'Hara |
| Written by | Lualhati Bautista |
| Based on | Bulaklak sa City Jail by Lualhati Bautista |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Johnny Araojo |
| Edited by | Efren Jarlego |
| Music by | Tony Aguilar |
Production company | Cherubim Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
The film stars Nora Aunor, Gina Alajar, Celia Rodriguez, Perla Bautista, Maya Valdez, Zenaida Amador, and Maritess Gutierrez as the women who were incarcerated inside the Manila City Jail due to the crimes they committed and the crimes that were framed by the others.
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A pregnant woman is arrested for attempted murder and is sent to the Manila City Jail where she meets several women with shocking pasts.
- Nora Aunor as Angela Aguilar
- Gina Alajar as Juliet
- Celia Rodriguez as Lena
- Perla Bautista as Viring
- Maya Valdez as Barbie
- Zenaida Amador as Tonya
- Maritess Gutierrez as Patricia
- Gloria Romero as Patricia's mother
- Ricky Davao as Crisanto
- German Moreno as Warden Ambrocio
- Bella Flores as Olga Bella
- Shyr Valdez as Yolly
- Tom Olivar as Paquito
- Augusto Victa as Warden Esteban
- Alvin Enriquez as Juliet's son
- Toby Alejar as Mike
- Gigette Reyes as Adela
- Mandy Bustamante as Leon
- Romy Nario as Totoy
- Carmen Enriquez as Atty. Jacob
- Cris Daluz as Atty. Diaz
- Sarah Gayotin as Viring's daughter
- Edwin O'Hara as Fr. Eusebio
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- Director: Mario O'Hara
- Producer: Archie and Cherry Cobarubbias
- Writer: Lualhati Bautista (story and screenplay)
- Production Designer: Tony Aguilar
- Art Director: Jon Jon Portugal
- Assistant Director: Ricardo B. De Guzman and Jon Jon Portugal
- Sound Effects: Rodel Capule
- Sound Mixer: Vic Macamay
- Music: Tony Aguilar
- Film Editor: Efren Jarlego
- Cinematographer: Johnny Araojo
- Post-Production Facilities: Magnatech Omni
- Color Processing: LVN Pictures
- Production-in-Charge: Pearl Valdez
- Production Managers: Maritess Gutierrez and Andy Biag
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Cherubim Films released the film on December 25, 1984, and it is one of the following entries for the 1984 Metro Manila Film Festival. It won six awards including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director.
Digital restoration
The restored version of the film was premiered on November 11, 2019, at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City as part of the Cinema One Originals film festival. It was attended by the film's surviving cast and staff members: actors Ricky Davao and Tom Olivar, film producer Cherry Cobarubbias, and former actress and now chef Maritess Gutierrez (she also represented her mother Gloria Romero) as well as the staff and crew of the ABS-CBN Film Archives and the channel head of Cinema One, Ronald Arguelles. Actress Pinky Amador (niece of the late Zenaida Amador, who died in 2008), actress-producer Ruby Flores-Arcilla (daughter of Bella Flores, who died in 2013), and director Denise O'Hara (niece of Mario O'Hara, who died in 2012) also attended the premiere as the representatives of the cast and staff members who were deceased or unable to attend.[2][3]
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Critical reception
In a review by Engelbert Rafferty for Film Police Reviews, the film is considered "a classic, no questions asked". Lualhati Bautista, the film's writer, was praised for the screenplay that made it alive and fascinated the viewers as well as the dramatic performances of the cast members. Nora Aunor was also praised for her widely accepted and realized performance as Angela, whose character was described as "a woman maltreated by society".[4]
Awards and recognition
| Year | Group | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Picture | Bulaklak sa City Jail | Won |
| Best Director | Mario O'Hara | Won | ||
| Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Tom Olivar | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Celia Rodriguez | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay | Lualhati Bautista | Won | ||
| Best Story | Lualhati Bautista | Won | ||
| 1985 | 33rd FAMAS Awards | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Won |
| Best Supporting Actress | Perla Bautista | Won | ||
| Best Picture | Nominated | |||
| Best Director | Mario O'Hara | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Lualhati Bautista | Nominated | ||
| Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Nominated | |
| Best Picture | Nominated | |||
| Best Director | Mario O'Hara | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Perla Bautista | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Celia Rodriguez | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Lualhati Bautista | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | Efren Jarlego | Nominated | ||
| Best Production Design | Tony Aguilar | Nominated | ||
| Film Academy of the Philippines (Luna Awards) | Best Story Adaptation | Luhalhati Bautista | Won | |
| Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Nominated | ||
| Catholic Mass Media Awards | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Won |
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