Devotion to Filmmaking and Cinema
Manuel Pabustan Urbano, known as Manuel Conde, was born on October 9, 1915 in Daet, Camarines Norte. Orphaned at a young age and growing up poor, he worked in cinemas just to watch films, showing his early passion for the medium. Starting as a production assistant and stuntman, 14
He eventually acted under the name Juan Urbano and became one of the country’s pioneering filmmakers. He directed landmark works such as Mahiwagang Biyolin (1935), Ibong Adarna (1941), and the Juan Tamad series, and founded Manuel Conde Productions in 1947. His 1950 epic Genghis Khan became the first Philippine film screened at the Venice Film Festival and earned international recognition.
Cinematic Legacy
Through over 40 films from 1940 to 1963, Conde helped indigenize Philippine cinema by weaving national history, folklore, and social critique into his storytelling while innovating cinematic genres. He received the Presidential Medal of Merit in 2006 and was posthumously proclaimed National Artist for Film in 2009. Manuel Conde passed away on August 11, 1985, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire and influence Filipino cinema today.
Made by: Citrine Woo