Award-winning actress Vilma Santos-Recto has proven her love for the film industry cannot be tamed. Being called the Star for All Seasons, Vilma has made an advocacy of bringing the light back to the movie scene.

"Let's value watching movies more on the big screen. We cannot argue or fight with the technology, pero pinakamaganda pa rin ang ating industriya ng pelikula. I'm praying na maibalik ang interest ng lahat to appreciate movie industry. Hindi sa TV or Netflix, but watching good movies on cinema and to embrace it's stories and messages," Vilma said at the CCP Cine Icon event at the Frassati auditorium of the University of Santo Tomas recently.

(Let's value watching movies more on the big screen. We cannot argue or fight with technology, but our film industry is still the best. I'm praying that everyone's interest in appreciating the movie industry will be restored. Not on TV or Netflix, but watching good movies in the cinema and embracing their stories and messages)

Launching the CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) Cine Icon campaign in March 2023, it has shown some of the greatest films in the ’70s to the 2000s brought by the creative minds of Ricky Lee, the late Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Joel Lamangan, and more.

Since then, the CCP Cine Icons campaign has been doing school tours, talk-back activities with the students, and other free film-showing activities.

In cooperation with Sagip Pelikula, a film restoration initiative of ABS-CBN and Central Digital Lab, this campaign aims to show the younger generation the beauty of Filipino films in the past. 

During the special screening of "Anak," and "Bagong Buwan" at the  Frassati Auditorium at UST on April 15, Vilma shared how happy she is to be participating despite not feeling well.

"It's true that I'm not feeling well, pero pumunta pa rin ako dito ako para makita kayong lahat, kasi ito na yung bagong generation, para ko kayong mga anak. Sa tinagal-tagal ko na dito sa industriya, this is my payback time, gusto ko mabuhay ulit ang mga dugo para ma-appreciate niyo uli ang movie industry," Vilma shared.

(Indeed, I'm not feeling well, but I still came here to see you all. Because this is the new generation, you're like my children. Since I've been in the industry for so long, this is my payback time. I want to revive that rush from all of you to appreciate the movie industry)

Aside from bringing back the audience to the movie, Vilma also showed support to the restoration and preservation of the different films from the past.

"Another advocacy that I intend to take is the safekeeping and restoration of old films. Sayang ang mga ito. Now that I’m watching my movies again, like ‘Anak’ and ‘Tagos ng Dugo’ that are both digitally restored, I am able to appreciate them more," Vilma said.

What it means for the students, academe

As the CCP Cine Icons team headed to UST, Manila Bulletin Entertainment got the opportunity to ask some of the students and professors what they thought about the event.

Marjorie Mago (Filipino Learning section for UST senior high school) 

"Para sa akin po bilang isang Filipino teacher, yung ganitong klase ng activity. Yung pagpapanood sa kanila ng mga pelikulang pinoy ay isang makabuluhang gawain, kasi nagbibigay ito ng pagkakataon sa mga kabataan ngayon na ma-appreciate yung mga pelikulang ginawa ng mahusay na manunulat at artista." 

(For me as a Filipino teacher, this type of activity. Making them watch Pinoy movies is a significant act because it allows today's youth to appreciate the movies made by great writers and actors.) 

Jayson Rivera (Grade 12 student) 

"Super excited po ako for this event kasi nung nalaman ko po na pupunta si Ms.Vilma. We're so happy din po kasi nabigyan kami ng opportunity to hold this event, para mapanood po yung films from Sagip Pelikula. I'm so proud din po kasi with this film, magigising at mas mabubuhayan ng loob yung mga student to watch more films from the past years." 

(I'm super excited about this event because when I found out that Ms. Vilma was going. We're also so happy because we were allowed to hold this event, to watch the films from Sagip Pelikula. I'm also so proud because, with this film, the students will wake up and be more encouraged to watch more films from the past years) 

Francis Quilantang (Communications and Literature professor) 

"Vilmanian talaga ako, and napanood ko na itong 'Anak' ilang beses sa big screen and hindi talaga ako nagsasawa. It's just so nice to watch it in a clearer perspective since restored version nga siya. It's a good thing din because, I always use this film as my material kapag nagtuturo ako, specifically yung mga cinematic symbolism ng feminisim." 

(I'm a Vilmanian, and I've watched "Anak" several times on the big screen, and I never get tired of it. It's just so nice to watch it from a clearer perspective since it is indeed a restored version. It's also a good thing because, I always use this film as my material when I teach, specifically the cinematic symbolism of feminism.) 

Gavin Navarro (Grade 12 student) 

"This event for so many people here, nakaka-starstruck siya kasi these are legends in our books. Like parang we grow up reading about them, our parents talk about them, and right now, they are sitting in front of us, giving us advice. It feels like such as parental experience to receive advice from them, it's almost therapeutic, and we as students are trying to soak up as much information and advice we need" 

(This event is for so many people here, it's like we're starstruck because these are legends in our books. Like we grow up reading about them, our parents talk about them, and right now, they are sitting in front of us, giving us advice. It feels like such as parental experience to receive advice from them, it's almost therapeutic, and we as students are trying to soak up as much information and advice as we need)