First Film - "...Diaz directed her first feature film, “Tanikala,” in 1980. But her follow-up movies, “Brutal,” “Moral,” “Karnal” and “Alyas Baby Tsina” quickly established her reputation as one of the country's most exciting filmmakers. Her most famous movie is arguably the biopic “Jose Rizal” with Cesar Montano as the national hero, released in 1998 in time for the country’s centennial celebrations. This marked the start of her successful collaboration with Montano, who starred in her succeeding movies, “Muro Ami,” about the problem of dynamite fishing; and “Bagong Buwan,” which addressed the conflict in Mindanao. Montano said the Philippine movie industry has lost a "rare gem." In a statement after learning of Diaz-Abaya's death, Montano said: "This is a very, very sad day for us and the movie industry. We lost not only a dear friend and family but also a rare gem in the industry." "Direk Marilou fought the good fight. She will always be remembered for all her contribution to the industry and the excellence by which she rendered all those," he added. "She will always be an inspiration." Diaz-Abaya's last movie was last year’s “Ikaw Ang Pag-ibig,” released by Star Cinema..." - ABS-CBN News, Oct 08 2012 (READ MORE)
Last Film - "...Sa kanyang paghahanda sa "kaganapan" ng kanyang buhay, nakakalungkot mang isipin, ay may mga projects na sana ay gagawin ni Direk Marilou, pero hindi na niya nagawa. "Ikaw Ang Pag-Ibig is my last film. It's my swan song," aniya. Binanggit din ni Direk Marilou ang mga bagong project na katuwang na lamang siya sa pagre-reseach at pagsulat ng screenplay. "I wish Olive [Lamasan] would directed John Lloyd Cruz in Juan Luna, which I'm researching on and co-writing with Ricky Lee. "O yung Nana Rosa, ipinamana ko yun kay Rory Quintos. Ang Nana Rosa, base sa totoong kuwento ni Nana Rosa Henson, na naging "comfort woman" noong Second World War sa Pilipinas, ay laan para kay Vilma Santos na ididirek sana ni Ishmael Bernal. Sabi ni Direk Marilou, "Hindi na si Ate Vi [ang gaganap]. Hahanap sila ng bagong artista for Nana Rosa...They wanted me to direct...ipinamamana ko na kina Olive at Rory...Next year, God willing, I was supposed to direct it, but nung nag-stage 4 ako, I told Ricky, 'Isulat mo na, ako ang magre-research...Wag kang matakot...Tapos, sabi ko, 'Olive, it's time for you to do something like this. You do this...She's ripe na, e," sabi pa ni Direk Marilou. On her part, nakasulat na rin ng dalawang libro si Direk Marilou habang nasa kundisyong "unreliable" ang kanyang health condition. "The first one is Moonlit Seasons and then Reefs of Paradise. Both [about] underwater 'yan," banggit pa niya. Magku-collaborate din daw sila ni Ricky para sa isang “double memoir” na tala ng marami nilang pagsasama sa iba't ibang proyekto at mga taong naging bahagi niyon..." - William R. Reyes, PEP (READ MORE)
Marilou Diaz Abaya's Vilma Santos Films
- Minsan pa nating hagkan ang nakaraan (1983) - “…Sa 1983, ang mga mapagpipilian lamang ay Broken Marriage…On a lower randk would be…Minsan Pa Nating Hagkan ang Nakaraan…Now that we have discussed this year’s better films and the directors who made them, tunghayan natin ang listahan ng best screen performances…ang pinagtaksilang aswang labis ang pagmamahal sa kanyang kabiyaksa Minsan Pa Nating Hagkan ang Nakaraan, ibang uri ng akting ang ipinamalas ni Eddie (Garcia) rito at talaga namang namumukod-tangi ang kanyang pagkakaganap… ” - Movie Flash Magazine, Jan 05 1984 (READ MORE)
- Baby Tsina (1984) - “…Marilou Diaz-Abaya will forever live with her magnum opuses like Brutal, Moral, Karnal, Muro Ami, Baby Tsina, Sa Pusod ng Dagat, Bagong Buwan and the multi-awarded period masterpiece Jose Rizal released in the ’90s and still gets screened to this day in schools and historical festivals even abroad…” - Ricardo F. Lo (READ MORE)
Marilou Diaz-Abaya Marilou Diaz-Abaya (March 7, 1955 - October 8, 2012[1]) was a multi-awarded film director in the Philippines. She was the founder and president of the Marilou Diaz-Abaya Film Institute and Arts Center, a film school based in Antipolo City, Philippines. She was the director of the 1998 film José Rizal, a biopicture on the Philippines' national hero. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)
Related Reading:
- Marilou Diaz-Abaya Film Institute & Arts Center
- Multi-awarded filmmaker Marilou Diaz-Abaya dies 57
- Marilou Diaz-Abaya dies of cancer
- Director Marilou Diaz-Abaya finally laid to rest; friends and colleagues pay tribute
- Marc Abaya compares mother Director Marilou Diaz-Abaya to a samurai
- Cesar Montano Regrets Passing Of Veteran Director Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- Direk Marilou Diaz-Abaya bravely confronts breast cancer
- Marilou Diaz-Abaya honored with retrospective
- Faith, love, time & Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- Filmfest Munich pays tribute to Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- Abaya film screens in Cannes today
- "In the Navel of the Sea" Shines at Filipino Film Showcase
- Focus On Filipino Directors: Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Moving Into The Front Rank of RP Cinema
- Philippine International Aid premieres Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s ‘Ikaw ang Pag-Ibig’
- Interview with Direk Marilou Diaz-Abaya (Pagkilala episode) (Video)
- Director Marilou Diaz Abaya dies of breast cancer (Video)
