Kisapmata (1981)
December 25, 1981Release Date
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Cast & Crew.
Charo Santos-Concio
Mila Carandang / Producer
Jay Ilagan
Noel Manalansan
Vic Silayan
Sgt. Carandang
Charito Solis
Adelina Carandang
Ruben Rustia
Peping Manalasan
Juan Rodrigo
Ernie
Aida Carmona
Onyang
Cora Alforja
Cynthia
Dindo Angeles
Mario
Mely Mallari
Diomy
Edwin O'Hara
Pulis 1
Mandy Bustamante
Pulis 2
Monette Alfon
Landlady
Teresita R. Sanchez
Dra. Trinidad
Rolando S. Atienza
Executive Producer
Simon C. Ongpin
Producer
Media.
Details.
This Movie Is About.
Wiki.
Kisapmata (Filipino for "in the blink of an eye") is a 1981 Filipino psychological horror film directed by Mike de Leon, co-written with himself, Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., and Raquel Villavicencio. It stars Vic Silayan, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan, and Charito Solis. The plot was inspired by the crime reportage "The House on Zapote Street" written by Nick Joaquin. The piece chronicles the events leading up to the highly publicized familicide committed by Pablo Cabading, a retired policeman.
Considered as a pioneer of psychological horror film genre in the Philippines, its subject matter and themes, especially drawn parallels from true crime stories, marked the first major treatment of incest in Philippine cinema, while its message has been viewed as a commentary against the patriarchy and the regime of then President Ferdinand Marcos.
Premiering at the 7th Metro Manila Film Festival, which drew controversy upon release; despite this, the film received critical acclaim, establishing de Leon as one of the great directors of the new generation of Filipino filmmakers. The film won ten awards from the festival, including Best Film, and was subsequently screened at the 35th Cannes Film Festival during the Directors' Fortnight, alongside de Leon's Batch '81.
Often regarded one of the greatest Filipino films ever made in retrospective years, the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Filipino Film Critics) included it in their list of Ten Best Films of the Decade and was voted the 3rd best Filipino film of all time (behind Manila in the Claws of Light and Himala, respectively) in a 2013 poll organized by Pinoy Rebyu. In 2020, the film was digitally restored with a subsequent theatrical screening at the 34th Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna, Italy.