Ama, Ina, Anak Explained

Ama, Ina, Anak
Director:Jose Javier Reyes
Music:Nonong Buencamino
Cinematography:Ricardo Jacinto
Editing:Manet A. Dayrit
Studio:Star Cinema
Distributor:Star Cinema
Country:Philippines
Runtime:110 minutes

Ama, Ina, Anak (English: Father, Mother, Child) is a 1996 Philippine family drama film written and directed by Jose Javier Reyes. The film stars Maricel Soriano, Edu Manzano, and Angelica Panganiban in lead roles, with the supporting cast including Jolina Magdangal, Rico Yan, Boots Anson-Roa, and Jackie Lou Blanco.

It tells the story of a married couple who decided to adopt a child after having undergone unsuccessful attempts to conceive one. However, years later, as the adopted child grows up, her adoptive parents have a child of their own.

Produced and released by Star Cinema on February 29, 1996, the film reunites former husband-and-wife Maricel Soriano and Edu Manzano since they last appeared together two years earlier in Separada, another Star Cinema-produced film. It is also the second film in which the Diamond Star and Angelica Panganiban act together. In 2022, the digitally restored and remastered version of the film was released.

Synopsis

Marilen and Santi are a couple who try to conceive a child of their own numerous times. However, their efforts to have one ended up in miscarriages. Because of this, the husband and wife decided to adopt a child. They adopted a baby girl named Issa and raised her as their own.

Years later, Issa matures into a little girl who lives happily with her adoptive parents. The couple unexpectedly became pregnant again, and they eventually had a child of their own. Issa, on the other hand, comes to dislike her younger sibling.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

Isah V. Red, writing for Manila Standard, gave the film a mixed-to-negative review, describing the film as "overwrought and overacted", similar to the television films (telesine) shown and produced by local TV networks. He concluded the review as "a waste of time" and an "insult" to the intellectual audience.[1]

Digital restoration

The film was digitally restored and remastered by the joint cooperation of ABS-CBN Film Restoration and Central Digital Lab. The restored version was released online via KTX.ph on April 26, 2022, added with a pre-show where the head of ABS-CBN Film Archives, Leo P. Katigbak, serves as the host and interviews the film's lead star, Maricel Soriano.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: Isah V.. Red. Anjo Yllana's mystery girl. October 4, 2023. Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp.. March 6, 1996. 32. Director Jose Javier Reyes' movie is "overwrought" and "overacted[...].
  2. ABS-CBN Corporation Communications . Sagip Pelikula pays homage to Maricel Soriano with premiere of digitally restored "Ama, Ina, Anak" . Quezon City, Metro Manila . . April 25, 2022 . October 4, 2023.