Lamberto Vera Avellana (Biography)

Lamberto Vera Avellana was born on February 12,1915 in Bontoc, Mountain

Province,Philippine Islands. He was called as "The boy wonder of the Philippine movie" in the
year as early as 1939 and categorized as The First National Artist for Film industry in the year
1976 awarded by President Ferdinand Marcos. Lamberto Avellana was studied at Ateneo De
Manila AB'37 where he develop his skills and knowledge to have a life-long interest in Theater.
After His studies he became a proctor at the same school and met his teen-age partner that
gives color to his life namely Daisy Hontiveros. Daisy was an actress and married Lamberto. She
was also awarded as the National Artist for Film in 1999.

Lamberto Avellanas' career was started as a prominent Filipino film and stage director.His career
also started when General Carlos Romulo offer him to direct a film about revolutionary hero
Mario Sakay for the Big screen in the year 1939. The typical Filipino cinema at this time was
Realism and it was particularly distinguished leads to be an immediate sensation.The treatment
is the subject of the controversy today. This film seeks to describe the filipino revolution and
known as a fighter for Filipino Independence. Tha main actor in this movie was Leopoldo
Salcedo. Leopoldo portrayed Sakay's Father. The Movie sakay declared as the best picture of
1939 by critics and journalist. In addition Avellana shows a kind of visual rhythm that builds a
new filmic language.

Avellana as a director, he directed more than 70 films that spanned six decades. He has two
most prominent work at his time. The Anak Dalita and Badjao. These two main works of him
gave him honor and be recognized around the world. Anak Dalita was known as the best film in
the 1956 Asia Pacific Film Festival. The movie show a realistic portryal of Filipino coping with
poverty and aftermath of World War II. Badjao Film depicts the indegenous Filipino hailing from
Mindanao. It was a love story of a sea-dwelling badjaos. Avellana was honor as the Best Director
of Asia award in Tokyo because of this film. The script writer of these two Film was Rolf Bayer.

Because of his excellent works in the film industry. Lamberto Avellana was the first filmmaker to
have his film in Kalderong Pilak shown at the Canes International Film Festival. Among the films
that he directed for worldwide release Sergeant Hasan for the year 1967, Destination Vietnam
for the year 1969 and The Evil Within for the year 1970.

He was also a nominee for FAMAS award in the year 1958 categorized as the International
Prestige Award for Merit.

Filmography of Lamberto Vera Avellana

  Sakay (1939)
 Inday (1940)
 Rosainda (1941)
 Ikaw Pala (1941)
 Death March (1946)
 Hacendera (1947)
 Tandang Sora (1947)
 Sa ngiti mo lamang (1947)
 Hagibis (1947)
 Pista ng bayan (1948)
 Ala Viva (1948)
 Hantik (1950)
 Ang Bombero (1950)
 Prinsipe Amate (1950)
 In Despair (1950)
 Satur (1951)
 Prinsipe Amate sa Rubitanya (1951)
 Pag-asa (1951)
 Amor Mio (1951)
 Korea (1952)
 Aklat ng buhay (1952)
 Anak Dalita (1956)
 Ang pag-ibig kong huwag mong sukatin (1982)

Lamberto Avellana's contribution

Avellana's contribution in the film industry was the first to use the motion picture camera to
establish a great point of view and to have techniques in film narration.Avellan who at 20
potrayed Joan of arc in time for Ateneo's diamond jubilee, initially set out to establish a Filipino
theater.

Avellana would probably the active Filipino Director who succeeded in the Film history over
four decades in Filmmaking. He witnesses the failures and Success of Philippine Cinema.
Lamberto experienced it all. From the 30's,50's,60's and on to contemporary times.

Like the legendary Character of his first venture which is Sakay ,a rebel who refused to
surrender to the new colonizer. Avellana has remaind constant as he was pulled by force of age
and changed.
 As what Avellana said -" Ibelieve that there is a Filipino feeling for movies; a Filipino way of
film making; and one day this will emerge, slower than usual, human, pathetic, touching the
heart. On the screen we are capable to experience the reality that surround to us the way we
talk, the way we make love, the way we die. Everyone of us is unique living in a the same world
and we deserve a uniquely Filipino cinema." We lead our own path and we see our self us a
director of our own story. So as a Filipino citizen with respect to our Film industry and to our
culture, we must love our own film industry, because we see and feel the art of every film
director applied.

Avellana died on April 25, 1991 at the age of 96. He had a son namely Mari Avellana who was
later to follows his father's footsteps in directing films.
 Lamberto Vera Avellana
National Artist of Film
(1915-1991)

Francheska Lim
ABM 12- Keynes
Mr.Ryan Menina
References: (APA style)

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lamberto-vera-avellana-was-born-in-bontoc-mountain-province

Imdbcom. (c1990-2019). IMDb. Retrieved 11 August, 2019, from

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0042885/bio

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Cadiz, Gibbs. (2013). "National Artist for Theater Daisy Avellana dies; 96". Philippine Daily
Inquirer. Retrieved 19 May,2013, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamberto_V._Avellana