Kisapmata

Kisapmata () is a 1981 Filipino psychological horror film directed by Mike de Leon, written for the screen by De Leon, Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., and Raquel Villavicencio. The plot was inspired by Quijano de Manila's January 1961 article "The House on Zapote Street", which first appeared on an issue of the "Philippines Free Press" magazine and was later republished in de Manila's non-fiction crime anthology, "Reportage on Crime" (1977). It starred Vic Silayan, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan, and Charito Solis.
Released during the 7th Metro Manila Film Festival, the film barely broke even at the box office. However, it received unanimous critical acclaim, establishing De Leon as one of the great directors of the new generation. It eventually won the festival's most coveted title of "Best Film," garnered ten major awards in FAMAS, was presented at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival at the Directors' Fortnight, and was adjudged by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino as one of the Ten Best Films of the 1980s.
It was the first major treatment of incest in Philippine cinema, which was considered daring for its time. Other strong subject matters covered were murder, suicide and parricide.
Plot.
Dadong Carandang (Vic Silayan), a retired police officer, is the domineering father of Mila (Charo Santos), and he is extremely jealous of the latter's suitors, never allowing them into his house. One day, Mila falls in love with Noel Manalansan (Jay Ilagan) and they decide to seek Dadong's permission to get married. Mila finds out she is pregnant. Dadong agrees on the condition that Noel pay a ridiculously costly dowry as well as shoulder a luxurious wedding. Noel agrees and works hard to meet Dadong's demands.
After the wedding, Dadong insists that the couple stay in his house. Despite protestations by the couple, they acquiesce. The couple is not allowed to sleep together for various reasons, i.e., that Mila's mother Dely (Charito Solis) is sick and Mila needs to comfort her through the night. Noel is forced to leave the house after Dadong doesn't let him inside one evening.
Mila eventually decides to escape with Noel's help. They are hunted by Dadong, to no avail. One day Dadong changes his tactic and makes some compromises to bring them back. Eventually, the couple decides to go back to Dadong's house, but only to gather their belongings. Dadong pleads with Mila not to leave as it is revealed that he has been carrying out an incestuous relationship with his daughter all along, and the baby might be his. When Mila and Noel stand firm on leaving, Dadong is driven to desperation and brings out his gun, shooting Dely, Noel, and then finally, Mila. As his last act, he shoots himself.
Production.
"Kisapmata" was inspired by an incident which occurred on the afternoon of January 17, 1961, when forensics detective Pablo Cabading of the Manila Police Department murdered both his daughter and son-in-law at his residence in 1074 Zapote Street, Makati. The screenplay was written by Mike De Leon, Doy del Mundo, and Raquel Villavicencio; the same team who previously collaborated on "Kakabakaba Ka Ba" (1980) and would later work on "Batch '81" (1982). Del Mundo wrote dialogue for the male characters, while Villavicencio wrote for the female characters; with De Leon unifying the script through his concept. Filming was completed in one year, a rarity at a time when Filipino films were typically finished in two months.
Reception.
Box office.
At the start of the Metro Manila Film Festival in 1981, "Kisapmata" was 10th of 10 films at the box office. After it swept the awards at the festival, it climbed into the top three at the box office.
Critical response.
Mel Tobias wrote of "Kisapmata", "this complex and remarkably modulated film may be De Leon’s finest work."
The movie is "de Leon’s masterpiece," wrote Oggs Cruz. "It is clear that the characters in De Leon's film are real human beings—they work, they interact with other people, they have needs and ambitions. It is that factor that turns this nightmare even far more chilling than Hitchcock's "Psycho"."
"Even after all this time, the film continues to unsettle, not only because De Leon gives us a very real monster that anticipates many of the paternalistic ogres that continue to dominate our lives—in one form or the other—today, but rather because it shows us a world where he can exist: our own," wrote Erwin Romulo. Romulo says of Silayan's character, "the way he’s portrayed by Vic Silayan makes him also very human, all too unmistakably so, and perhaps all the more terrifying because we realize how familiar we already are with his features."
Accolades.
It won a total of eight Gawan Urian Awards and received one FAMAS award nomination.