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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Movies and TV devider Charo Santos, Vilma Santos pay tribute to director Mike De Leon

Charo Santos, Vilma Santos pay tribute to director Mike De Leon

Published Aug 29, 2025 02:41 pm
Director Mike De Leon (Image courtesy of Charo Santos Instagram)
Director Mike De Leon (Image courtesy of Charo Santos Instagram)

Award-winning stars Vilma Santos and Charo Santos paid tribute to the late Filipino director Mike de Leon, whose passing was announced by his relatives last Thursday. He was 78. 

On Instagram, Ate Vi shared an art card which read: "Karangalan kong maging direktor ka, Direk Mike De Leon. Pahinga na po kayo. Maraming salamat po! Sister Stella L (Ate Vi)." Mike directed Vilma in "Sister Stella L" in 1984.

The interment details for Mike have not been announced yet.

Charo said he lost a friend with Mike's death, adding that the famed director was his first mentor. Her full post on Instagram:

"Mike de Leon was my very first mentor in the art and discipline of filmmaking. From him, I learned everything: the rigor of preparing a shot list, the mounting of scenes, the rhythm of narrative, editing, the discipline of sound, music, and mixing, all back when a motion picture was shot on actual film. 

"He was a perfectionist, a genius, and a true master of cinema. Yet beyond his brilliance, Mike was my friend. He gave me trust, guidance, and unforgettable moments of collaboration. 

"Through the years, he was unfailingly present at milestones and even in the most challenging seasons of my life. In my darkest hours, he was there, quiet, steady, kind. Ours was a bond that felt like soulmates in artistry, a connection built on respect and admiration

"He gave us films that were not merely watched, but deeply felt, etched into who we are. Kisapmata, Batch ’81, Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising, Kakabakaba Ka Ba and Itim were never just films; they were mirrors, unflinching in their truth, forcing us to confront ourselves and the world we live in.

"I will never forget the last time we spoke, as we were preparing a film together, its working title: Unfinished Business. He said, 'I don’t think I will live to finish this film because of my condition, so I don’t even want to start it.' Heartbreaking words from a man who had devoted his entire life to cinema and to truth.

"Mike’s departure feels like a scene cut too soon, an unfinished business. And yet, in truth, his work is complete. His films will forever illuminate our history, our fears, and our dreams.

Also, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) joined the local entertainment industry in mourning the death of Mike.

On social media, the FDCP wrote: "Today, August 28, 2025, the FDCP joins the entire film industry in mourning the passing of visionary filmmaker Mike De Leon.

"He was the genius behind generation-defining cinematic classics Itim (1976), Kisapmata (1981), Batch '81 (1982), Sister Stella L (1984), and Citizen Jake (2018).

"[His] life was dedicated to film. His consistent imagination to explore the language of cinema shaped what we understand of Philippine filmmaking today..." - FDCP Chairman Jose Javier Reyes on De Leon's passing.

"Mike De Leon shone a light on the beauty and pain of the downtrodden and repressed, bringing their stories to the cultural forefront.

"May he rest in peace."

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