Ishmael Bernal (September 30, 1938 – June 2, 1996) was a Filipino film director and writer. He is considered as one of the most important filmmakers in the history of Philippine cinema. Bernal’s films, which include Nunal sa Tubig (1976), Ikaw Ay Akin (1978), Manila by Night (1980), Himala (1982), and Working Girls (1984), tackle feminist and social themes in a variety of genres. He was posthumously declared a National Artist of the Philippines in 2001.

Early life and education Bernal was born on September 30, 1938 in Manila. He was the only child of Elena Bernal. Ishmael grew up in the Santa Mesa district with his extended family, which included writer Lope K. Santos, his maternal grandfather.

Bernal received his bachelor’s degree in English from University of the Philippines Diliman, where he became a friend of future Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison. He also studied French literature at Aix-en-Provence in France. Bernal briefly owned a discotheque in Malate, Manila called When It’s a Grey November in Your Soul, before studying film at the Film Institute of Poona in India as a Colombo Plan scholar.

Film career Upon returning to the Philippines, Bernal reviewed films for the Manila Chronicle. He was approached by actor Eddie Rodriguez about making his first feature film for his Virgo production company. Bernal came up with the satirical comedy Ah Ewan, Basta sa Maynila Pa Rin Ako! (1970), but he left due to creative differences with Rodriguez, who ended up finishing it. Instead, Bernal made his directorial debut with Pagdating sa Dulo (1971), starring Rita Gomez, Vic Vargas, and Eddie Garcia. While it was a commercial failure, it later became a cult classic.

Under his name is a broad range of film genres and themes: historical dramas like El Vibora (The Viper), and the "Bonifacio" episode in the unreleased Lahing Pilipino (The Filipino Race); comedies like Tisoy (Mestizo), Pabling (Playboy), Working Girls and Working Girls II; experimental films like Nunal sa Tubig (Speck in the Water) and Himala (Miracle); and contemporary dramas exploring human psyches and social relationships, such as Ligaw Na Bulaklak (Wildflower), Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko (Your Husband, My Lover), Ikaw Ay Akin (You Are Mine), Relasyon (The Affair), Aliw (Pleasure) and the film Manila by Night (or City After Dark). His filmography centers around the themes and problems that inevitably encrust the "social" as the core of personal malaise.

Bernal considered himself a feminist director and admitted that it was part of his interest to tackle issues affecting women; in addition, he was part of the underground gay scene during the Martial Law era. Although some elements include themes about the LGBTQ community and their lives, a significant part of his work is stories about and for women, such as the films Relasyon, Hinugot sa Langit, and Working Girls. Before Bernal's death, he was scheduled to direct a film about the life story of "Lola Rosa" Henson, a comfort woman during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.

Television Aside from film, Bernal also directed television shows like the long-time drama series Ang Makulay Na Daigdig ni Nora (The Colorful World of Nora) with Nora Aunor, for which he was named Outstanding Director in a Drama Series by the Patas Awards in 1979; Metro Magazine, Isip Pinoy, Dear Teacher and episodes for PETABISYON and Lorna. As an actor, he played lead roles in stage plays like Kamatayan sa Isang Anyo ng Rosas (Death in the Form of a Rose) in 1991 and Bacchae in 1992.

Activism Bernal had been an activist since university, when he was a member of the Student Cultural Association of the University of the Philippines. After graduation, he became involved in Kabataang Makabayan. He protested film censorship and was part of the Free the Artist Movement and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines.

His films, including those he directed during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, were also known for bearing feminist and social realist themes.

Achievements He won the Gawad Urian Award for Best Director four times for Dalawang Pugad, Isang Ibon (Two Nests, One Bird), 1977; Broken Marriage, 1983; Hinugot sa Langit (Wrenched From Heaven), 1985; and Pahiram ng Isang Umaga (Lend Me One Morning), 1989; and the best screenplay for City After Dark, 1980.

His film Pagdating sa Dulo won him the FAMAS Award for Best Screenplay, while Himala (Miracle) garnered nine major awards in the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival. In that same year, Bernal was chosen by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino as the Most Outstanding Filmmaker of the Decade 1971–1980. Among the 10 best films chosen by the critics, five were his. These include Pagdating sa Dulo, Nunal sa Tubig, Manila by Night, Himala and Hinugot sa Langit. He was also hailed as Director of the Decade by the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA).

Bernal also won the CMMA Best Director Award (1983), the Bronze Hugo Award in the Chicago International Film Festival (1983) for the movie Himala. The Cultural Center of the Philippines presented him the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining for film in 1990. In 1993, he received the ASEAN Cultural Award in Communication Arts in Brunei Darrussalam.

His Nunal sa Tubig (A Speck in the Water), Aliw (Pleasure) and Relasyon (The Affair) was among the 25 Filipino films shown in New York from July 31 to August 1999, organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, in partnership with the Philippine Centennial Commission, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, IFFCOM, the Philippine Information Agency, the Consulate General of the Philippines in New York and the Philippine Centennial Coordinating Council - Northeast USA. This series of Filipino films were presented at the Walter Reade Theater of the Lincoln Center, in celebration of the 100th year of Philippine Independence.

Death

He died on June 2, 1996, in Quezon City, Philippines of a heart attack. Bernal was buried at Himlayang Pilipino in Quezon City but was reinterred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on September 14, 2024, after a state funeral.

Filmography As director and writer Year English title Original title Director Writer Notes 1971 Ah, Ewan! Basta sa Maynila Pa Rin Ako! Directed by Eddie Rodriguez Vibora - First film; rereleased in 1972 as El Vibora At the Top Pagdating sa Dulo Daluyong! 1972 Inspiration - Till Death Do Us Part - 1973 Now and Forever - Zoom, Zoom, Superman! - Superman parody anthology film with Elwood Perez and Joey Gosiengfiao Si Popeye, Atbp Popeye parody anthology film with Elwood Perez and Joey Gosiengfiao; segment: "Popeye" 1974 Huwag Tularan: Pito ang Asawa Ko 1975 Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko Sleeping Dragon Xing long fu hu Co-directed with Jimmy L. Pascual Lumapit, Lumayo ang Umaga 1976 Ligaw Na Bulaklak A Speck in the Water Nunal sa Tubig Anna Karenina: Babaing Hiwalay sa Asawa Scotch on the Rocks to Remember, Black Coffee to Forget - Unreleased film 1977 Lahing Pilipino Unreleased filmSegment "Bonifacio" Tisoy! Dalawang Pugad... Isang Ibon Walang Katapusang Tag-araw 1978 Isang Gabi sa Iyo... Isang Gabi sa Akin You Are Mine Ikaw Ay Akin 1979 Boy Kodyak Menor de Edad Bakit May Pag-ibig Pa? Anthology film with Celso Ad. Castillo Salawahan Aliw 1980 Good Morning Sunshine - Girlfriend - Manila by Night City After Dark 1981 Bihagin: Bilibid Boys Pabling 1982 Galawgaw Ito Ba ang Ating Mga Anak Relasyon Hindi Kita Malimot Miracle Himala 1983 Broken Marriage Sugat sa Ugat 1984 Working Girls - Shake, Rattle & Roll - Horror anthology film with Emmanuel H. Borlaza and Peque Gallaga; segment: "Pridyider" ("Fridge") 1985 Gamitin Mo Ako Hinugot sa Langit 1986 The Graduates - 1987 Working Girls 2 - Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa Remade in 2017 as a TV series by GMA Network 1988 Nagbabagang Luha Remade in 2021 as a TV series by GMA Network 1989 Pahiram ng Isang Umaga 1992 Mahal Kita, Walang Iba 1994 Wating

Television As director Year Title Notes 1979 Ang Makulay Na Daigdig ni Nora 1987 Isip Pinoy Episode: "Ang Maralitang Tagalunsod"

As actor Year Title Role Notes 1993 Noli Me Tangere Kap. Valentin

Accolades Year Group Category Work Result 1983 Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear Himala 1983 Chicago International Film Festival Bronze Hugo Himala 1990 FAMAS Award Best Director Pahiram ng Isang Umaga 1989 FAMAS Award Best Director Nagbabagang Luha 1988 FAMAS Award Best Director Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa 1985 FAMAS Award Best Director Working Girls 1984 FAMAS Award Best Director Broken Marriage 1983 FAMAS Award Best Director Himala 1979 FAMAS Award Best Director Isang Gabi sa Iyo... Isang Gabi sa Akin 1976 FAMAS Award Best Director Lumapit, Lumayo ang Umaga 1972 FAMAS Award Best Screenplay Pagdating sa Dulo 1972 FAMAS Award Best Director Pagdating sa Dulo 1995 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Wating 1993 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Mahal Kita Walang Iba 1990 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Pahiram ng Isang Umaga 1986 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Hinugot sa Langit 1984 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Broken Marriage 1983 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Himala Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Relasyon Best Screenplay (Pinakamahusay na Dulang Pampelikula) Relasyon 1982 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Pabling 1981 Gawad Urian Award Best Screenplay (Pinakamahusay na Dulang Pampelikula) City After Dark Best Film of the Decade (Natatanging Pelikula ng Dekada) Nunal sa Tubig 1970–1979 Best Film of the Decade (Natatanging Pelikula ng Dekada) Pagdating sa Dulo 1970–1979 Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) City After Dark 1979 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Aliw 1978 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Dalawang Pugad... Isang Ibon Best Screenplay (Pinakamahusay na Dulang Pampelikula) Dalawang Pugad... Isang Ibon 1977 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction (Pinakamahusay na Direksyon) Nunal sa Tubig 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Director Himala 1990 Star Awards for Movies Movie Director of the Year Pahiram ng Isang Umaga 1995 Young Critics Circle, Philippines Best Film Wating

See also Brocka-Bernal: Alaala ng mga Artista ng Bayan, December 1996

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