MANUEL CONDE

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.