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321:, she returned to her hometown, only to be welcomed by her stepfather Boy and younger sister Janine but ignored by her mother Rosing because she threw Louella out when she found that Louella was impregnated and later, dumped by a traveling businessman. While fetching Janine from school, she reunites with Nestor, the town's policeman. The following day, Louella returns to the same place where she gave Leonard up for adoption but Father Cortez, the current parish priest, does not know about them. Manang Ofel, one of Father Nicandro's assistants before his death, informs her that Leonard and the other children were transferred to Hospicio de San Agustin in
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The search for her son begins with
Louella going to Pasig, only to discover that the orphanage was demolished. Nestor, who later joins her search, tells Louella that the orphans, including Leonard, were transferred to other orphanages including the two mentioned from the information he gathered. In
333:, the two discover that the children in the said facility have disabilities, which Leonard didn't have when he was born. One morning, she received a letter from an employment agency that she was assigned to work again in Hong Kong. The search continues when they visit Hospicio de San Cristobal in
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According to Lorna
Tolentino, she was offered the role of Louella in the project but was hesitant to accept because she was moved by the first time reading the script, which relates to her being a mother. Ultimately, she accepted the offer because her husband,
568:, her longtime screenwriting collaborator, who co-wrote the screenplay with fellow screenwriter Shaira Mella Salvador. In contrast to her previous films that deal with and depict women who were oppressed and victimized,
273:, the film was theatrically released in the Philippines on 25 January 1996. It was later screened in film festivals and retrospective events worldwide, including in Hong Kong on 27 March 1996, as part of the 20th
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in his first lead role, the film revolves around a woman who returned from working overseas and began to search for her missing son whom she gave up for adoption at the orphanage years earlier. It also stars
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in 1996, described the film as "enthralling" and gave praise to all aspects featured throughout the work, particularly the acting performances of the cast including
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Lorna
Tolentino and Ariel Rivera (both pictured in 2023) respectively played the roles of Louella and Nestor. Tolentino previously collaborated with Abaya in
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Benjamin Valdes as
Stephen, the child whom Louella took care of as a domestic helper before his family relocated to Canada
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depicts the life and motherhood of
Louella, played by Lorna Tolentino, as well as talking about the topic of adoption.
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and there, Louella meets a boy named Conrad who is humming the same melody as the one she did for her missing son.
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as Editha, a woman in Manila who wholeheartedly adopted
Leonard after she witnessed her employer abusing him
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Nicandro's assistant
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Cita Astals as Mrs. Alejandro, Leonard's abusive adoptive mother and Editha's employer
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Tom Taus Jr. as Leonard Sevilla, Louella's son from a traveling businessman
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as Sister Lourdes, the nun who is the head of Hospicio de San Cristobal
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Archie Adamos as Father Cortez, the church's current parish priest
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and Shaira Mella Salvador's screenplay, and the direction done by
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In 1988, Louella Sevilla, a woman living in the town of
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770:. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. 22 June 1999. p. 21
762:"Filmfest Munich pays tribute to Marilou Diaz-Abaya"
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as Janine, Louella's high school-aged younger sister
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Saint John the Evangelist Parish Church, located in
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851:. Manila, Philippines: Big O Books. p. 24.
849:Critic After Dark: A Review of Philippine Cinema
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561:Kapag May Katwiran... Ipaglaban Mo!: The Movie
217:, is a 1996 Philippine drama film directed by
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580:, also moved from reading the same material.
416:Angelo Lourds Silverio as 8-month-old Leonard
402:as Conrad, a rebellious boy at the orphanage
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556:Ang Ika-11 na Utos: Mahalin Mo ang Asawa Mo
405:Kaiser German Gonzales as 2-year-old Conrad
396:as Nestor, a policeman and Louella's suitor
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877:May Nagmamahal Sa'yo (Madonna and Child)
828:. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 30B
493:Romy Romulo as Nestor's fellow policeman
16:1996 film directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya
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419:Janjiro Hernandez as 2-year-old Leonard
730:"VIEWFINDER: Closer ties with Fukuoka"
673:. University of California, Berkeley:
442:as Rosing, Louella and Janine's mother
1106:Films produced by Charo Santos-Concio
1045:Noon at Ngayon: Pagsasamang Kay Ganda
275:Hong Kong International Film Festival
7:
1126:Films about mother–son relationships
1111:Films produced by Lily Y. Monteverde
1101:Films directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya
960:Minsan Pa Nating Hagkan ang Nakaraan
699:"Focus on Asia Archives: 1996 (6th)"
225:and Shaira Mella Salvador. Starring
1116:Films with screenplays by Ricky Lee
819:Japitana, Norma (15 January 1996).
703:Fukuoka International Film Festival
546:is the third film she directed for
422:Emman Abeleda as 5-year-old Leonard
677:. 25 March 1996. pp. 57, 58.
408:Robert Norton as 5-year-old Conrad
279:Munich International Film Festival
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1121:Films scored by Nonong Buencamino
728:Torre, Nestor U. (25 July 2001).
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329:an unnamed orphanage located in
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647:Attributed to these references:
796:. 23 July 2013. Archived from
484:Gamaliel Viray as Mr. De Villa
211:, internationally released as
1:
221:from a screenplay written by
740:Inquirer Group of Companies
499:Ani Pearl Alonzo as Betchay
487:Alma Lerma as Mrs. De Villa
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1181:Films shot in Metro Manila
1136:Films about missing people
675:Urban Council of Hong Kong
1176:Films set in Metro Manila
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735:Philippine Daily Inquirer
269:Produced and released by
164:25 January 1996
550:'s film production arm,
490:Michael Macasio as Dindo
1156:Films shot in Hong Kong
1096:Star Cinema drama films
1086:Filipino-language films
593:Noel Vera, writing for
496:Jim Pebangco as Foreman
1166:Films set in Hong Kong
1151:Films shot in Batangas
1161:Films set in Batangas
262:, Archie Adamos, and
50:Shaira Mella Salvador
1131:Films about adoption
997:May Nagmamahal Sa'yo
821:"Super mom Lorna T."
596:The Manila Chronicle
570:May Nagmamahal Sa'yo
544:May Nagmamahal Sa'yo
208:May Nagmamahal Sa'yo
24:May Nagmamahal Sa'yo
1171:Films set in Cavite
847:Vera, Noel (2005).
800:on 13 November 2023
709:on 18 February 2018
377:Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo
65:Charo Santos-Concio
918:Marilou Diaz-Abaya
621:Marilou Diaz-Abaya
589:Critical reception
540:Marilou Diaz-Abaya
219:Marilou Diaz-Abaya
70:Lily Y. Monteverde
33:Marilou Diaz-Abaya
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1141:Films set in 1988
1091:Star Cinema films
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1053:Ikaw ang Pag-ibig
1013:Sa Pusod ng Dagat
428:Claudine Barretto
315:Talisay, Batangas
305:Tanauan, Batangas
240:Claudine Barretto
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707:the original
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613:Stefano Mori
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394:Ariel Rivera
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235:Stefano Mori
231:Ariel Rivera
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180:Running time
157:Release date
119:Jess Navarro
99:Stefano Mori
94:Ariel Rivera
18:
920:filmography
609:Gina Pareño
605:Jaclyn Jose
552:Star Cinema
452:Jaclyn Jose
440:Gina Pareño
375:(1982) and
271:Star Cinema
252:Jaclyn Jose
244:Gina Pareño
192:Philippines
184:121 minutes
150:Star Cinema
140:Star Cinema
58:Produced by
29:Directed by
1076:1996 films
1070:Categories
1021:José Rizal
627:References
511:Production
473:Cris Daluz
168:1996-01-25
133:Production
832:26 August
746:26 August
617:Ricky Lee
584:Reception
566:Ricky Lee
530:Ricky Lee
319:Hong Kong
223:Ricky Lee
116:Edited by
46:Ricky Lee
1029:Muro-Ami
1005:Milagros
946:Boystown
931:Tanikala
804:29 March
774:29 March
713:29 March
335:Tagaytay
200:Filipino
197:Language
124:Music by
82:Starring
655:Sources
548:ABS-CBN
379:(1993).
189:Country
166: (
135:company
1056:(2011)
1048:(2003)
1040:(2001)
1032:(1999)
1024:(1998)
1016:(1998)
1008:(1997)
1000:(1996)
992:(1995)
984:(1994)
976:(1984)
970:(1983)
962:(1983)
956:(1982)
948:(1981)
942:(1980)
939:Brutal
934:(1980)
855:
681:
611:, and
233:, and
953:Moral
632:Notes
373:Moral
323:Pasig
882:IMDb
853:ISBN
834:2024
806:2024
776:2024
748:2024
715:2024
679:ISBN
344:Cast
331:Lipa
285:Plot
880:at
1072::
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640:^
623:.
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170:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
