“Ang Hapis at Himagsik ni Hermano Puli” (The Agony and Fury of Hermano Puli) is a historical drama based on the life and times of Apolinario de la Cruz, who led a revolt in 1841 against the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines in the name of religious freedom.
The film shines a light on his place in Philippine history, which is largely forgotten outside of his hometown of Lucban and the province of Quezon (formerly Tayabas).
“Ang Hapis at Himagsik ni Hermano Puli” was supposed to be released during the Metro Manila Film Festival 2015, but due to lack of budget and needed more time to finish the film, it backed out. Fortunately, the film is now finished and will open in cinemas nationwide this September but before that, Hermano Puli will be this year’s closing film for the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.
Decades before the rise of liberalism in Spanish-era colonial Philippines, a young charismatic preacher leads a movement for equality and religious freedom for his fellow native Filipinos. He is hailed as the Christ of the Tagalogs, but is sentenced to death for heresy by both Church and State.
Long before the term “indie” became in vogue, Gil M. Portes made most of his films outside the studio system. He continues to do so after four decades in the business. His most successful works include Two Funerals, Saranggola (The Kite), Mga Munting Tinig (Small Voices), Markova: Comfort Gay, Mulanay, Andrea: Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina? and ‘Merika.
Now 70, this native son of Pagbilao, Quezon is honored to present one of his dream projects – a biopic of his province’s revered hero, Apolinario de la Cruz, better known as Hermano Puli.
“Ang Hapis at Himagsik ni Hermano Puli aka Hermano Puli” opens September 21, 2016 in Philippine cinemas nationwide and will have its premiere at the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival on August 13, 2016, 9:00PM at the CCP Main Theater.
For more information, you can go to their website at http://www.hermanopuli2016.com and Cinemalaya’s website at http://www.cinemalaya.org. Or their Facebook pages (Cinemalaya, Hermano Puli).