ORO PLATA MATA: OPENS 2012 CINEMA ONE ORIGINALS FESTIVAL

ORO PLATA MATA: OPENS 2012 CINEMA ONE ORIGINALS FESTIVAL

 

I had the pleasure and honor to witness the restored version of Filipino classic 1982 multi awarded film Oro, Plata, Mata by Peque Gallaga at this year’s opening of CinemaOne Channel Originals Film Festival held at the Robinsons Galleria Movie World last November 28, 2012, upon the invitation of Ms. Kathy Solis, PR manager of ABS-CBN. Thank you so much Ms. Kathy.

Oro, Plata, Mata is written by Jose Javier Reyes. Cinematography by acclaimed cinematographer Rody Lacap. This 1982 multi-awarded Filipino film is considered Peque Gallaga's most significant contribution to the Philippine cinema. Set in Negros during World War II, it tells the story of how the rich haciendero families cope with the horror and changes brought about by the war. 

 I asked our neighbor Tita Au what does Oro, Plata, Mata stands for, and here is her answer:
"Ginto, Pilak at Karma"  in English that would be "Gold, Silver, Bad Luck" but sometimes they equate bad karma to death.
 
I was also informed by a friend that Oro, Plata, Mata also refers to an old Filipino architectural superstition saying that design elements in a house staircases should not end in a multiple of three, in keeping with a pattern of oro (gold), plata (silver), and mata (bad luck). 

Oro, Plata, Mata the movie is structured in three parts, it depict the pattern played out in the lives of the main characters, from a life of luxury and comfort in the city ("oro/gold"), to a still-luxurious time of refuge in a provincial hacienda ("plata/silver"), and finally to a retreat deeper into the mountains, where they are victimized by bandit guerillas ("mata/bad luck") lead by one their former trusted servant, who did not only robbed and turned against his former masters.

The twists and turns of the movie will hook you to the screen and keep you at the edge-of-your-seat. Oro, Plata, Mata film blows the audience mind. The mysteries and plot details that beg questioning will mount the more you analyze it. Oro, Plata, Mata is the kind of the film that will demand a second viewing just to see if your mind is equally blown the second time around.
 
I was awed on how Cherry Gil and Sandy Andolong maintained their beauty. Imagine it's been thirty (30) years since they made this film and yet they look the same until now.

Cast of Characters:
Cherie Gil as Trinidad "Trining" Ojeda
Sandy Andolong as Margarita "Maggie" Ojeda
Joel Torre as Miguel Lorenzo
Liza Lorena as Nena Ojeda
Fides Cuyugan-Asencio as Inday Lorenzo
Maya Valdez as Jo Russell
Lorli Villanueva as Viring Ravillo
Manny Ojeda as Don Claudio Ojeda
Ronnie Lazaro as Hermes Mercurio
Abbo de la Cruz as Melchor
Jaime Fabregas as Minggoy
Robert Antonio as Carlos Placido
Agustin Gatia as Lucio
Kuh Ledesma as a diwata
Manny Castaneda as a rich heir
Mary Walter as yaya

Oro, Plata, Mata won the 1982 Gawad Urian awards for 

• Best picture
• Best direction
• Best cinematography
• Best production design
• Best musical score
• Best sound. 

In the same year, it won the Luna Awards of the Film Academy of the Philippines for Production Design and for Best Supporting Actress (Liza Lorena).

        

Oro, Plata, Mata movie marks the first showing of the restored versions of old films. The restoration was made possible through a partnership between ABS-CBN Film Archives headed by Leo Katigbak and Central Digital Lab, Inc. It is the second film restored after Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala” in time for its 30th anniversary.

 

Please don't fail to catch this timeless classic from November 28 to December 9, 2012 at Robinson’s Galleria Movie World and from November 29 to December 4, 2012 at the Edsa Shangri-La Cineplex. 
 
The festival’s much awaited awards night will be held on December 3 at the Studio 1, ABS-CBN Main Building.
  The 2012 Cinema One Originals Festival is an annual project of the Cinema One, the local movie channel on cable, owned and operated by Creative Programs, Inc (CPI).