Finding the Oldest Film on Cebu

Ever wondered what Cebu was like through old black and white films? But have you ever seen the oldest film on Cebu at all? Why is it difficult to find

Women and children weaving abaca fibers (c) Daang Dokyu

We know that Cebu has a rich historical and cultural heritage as it's arguably the oldest city in the Philippines. Yet despite its stature, there seems to be a lot of blanks when it comes to the visual records of the city's past unlike Manila, which has become the capital of the country and center of commerce and politics.

Looking back to the past, you will see that most old photos were taken by the Americans by the early 1900s and it's even rare to find a visual representation of what was life like once when the Spanish were still in charge. That said, it is even next to impossible to find really old films showing what Cebu was like from the 1900s to the 1920s. Even if some purported old films show up on YouTube searches, many are not properly identified.

If there were films about Cebu, they would have been destroyed during the war or by themselves since old films tend to degrade very very fast if they are not properly stored. What makes it worse is that these were also volatile and highly flammable. That's why many old films from the Philippines were lost for good and even if some still exist, many are locked in storage in various film archives in the United States and other Western countries. It's sad that we don't get to see actual moving images of people, places, and events more than a century ago.

Until now...

Uncovering the Lost Gems

In 2020, the "Daang Dokyu" film festival hosted a fundraising event with the aim of saving money to fund the preservation of some of the oldest documentary films in the Philippines. These films are locked inside the British Film Institute for safekeeping and restoration. However, it never saw the light of day until it was discovered by the Philippine Studies program of the SOAS University of London.

The rare 35mm films that are to be restored or remastered include two 1911 silent film documentaries "Industrie De L’abaca A L’ile De Cebu" (Abaca, Its Culture and Use in the Philippines) and "Fabrication Des Chapeaux De Manille" (Making Manila Hats). Two other 1920s films were also included: "Manila Street Scene" (1926) and "Glimpses Of The Culion Leper Colony And Of Culion Life" (1929).

The Cebu documentary was produced by French film producer Pathé Frères (Compagnie Genérale des Établissements Pathé Frères Phonographes & Cinématographes) and distributed in the United States under General Film Company. When it was shown in the US  on April 30, 1912 (and perhaps some of the movie houses in the Philippines including Teatro Junquera), it would have been a split reel along with the comedies "À la française" (1912) and "Betty Is Worse Than Ever" (1910).

Aside from the French film, another lost film to have featured Cebu was made by Herbert Wyndham when he made a travelogue on a typhoon that hit Cebu in 1912, shot by Albert Yearsley. It was made shortly after the abaca documentary.

Why Preserve These Films

As mentioned above, these rare films give us an insight into what was life like then. These are windows to the past to help us understand how people lived and what were their dreams and aspirations. Life was simple then yet the problems they faced are still the same problems we have to solve over and over again.

According to organizers, the films don’t come cheap so they have to collect those that are in good condition. Some of the other films also need restoration and would require another fundraising effort. Once we lose all these films, it would be like a piece of you gone forever.


Some of the films are so degraded that it's almost unwatchable. Finding ways to restore it would probably need expert film archivists and even advanced AI technology to restore the damaged parts, particularly in the case of the Culion Colony documentary.


However, I can't seem to find someone posting the film on YouTube or any other video-sharing sites. I even search some of the mentioned film archives, the National Library, or the US Library of Congress to see a video of the film but can't seem to find it.

Man placing abaca fibers on a drying rack (c) Daang Dokyu

There are screengrabs of what the film looks like posted somewhere and these are the only glimpse that I can find about this elusive and hard-to-find century-old film. It's not even posted on Daang Dokyu's website or YouTube channel yet. For now, we will probably have to wait until these are shown to the public soon.

It's good to know that they are currently in the process of curating old documentaries on the Philippines so that we can see for ourselves some of the 'lost and forgotten histories of documentary film and video in the country.'

COMMENTS

Name

100,1,1924 summer olympics,1,1936,1,1949,1,2012 olympics,1,2014 aff suzuki cup,1,2016 olympic basketball,2,2019 fiba world cup,2,adobo,1,adolf,1,aff suzuki cup teams,1,afghanistan,1,aguilas,1,ai art,1,al-andalus,4,alan nacorda,1,albinism,1,alcohol,1,alcoholic,1,alejo santos,1,alibata,1,altered timeline,21,alternate history,35,althistory,23,american,2,ancestry,2,ancient filipino,1,andres bonifacio,2,andres bonifacio family tree,1,andres bonifacio genealogy,1,andres novales,1,ang pasko ay sumapit,1,antonio luna,3,apolinario alcuitas,1,articles,1,artificial intelligence,1,artista,4,artistas,3,asian,1,asian games,1,asians,1,ask me,6,athletes,1,automobiles,1,azkals,9,aztecas,1,bacolod city arena,1,balangiga,1,barato sa unang panahon,1,barcelona,1,basketball,11,bayanihan,1,baybayin,1,beauty,1,bells,1,benjie paras family tree,1,berlin,1,beverage,1,biases,1,bill hoyt,1,billy ray bates,1,biopic,1,bisaya,1,black and white,2,black superman,1,bombs,1,border,1,boyfriend-girlfriend,1,brain drain,2,Brazil,1,british,1,british empire,1,brown,1,burger,1,butterfly effect,21,calvin abueva,1,calvin abueva family tree,1,calvin abueva genealogy,1,calvin sweeney,1,campaign ads,1,canonigo family,3,canonigo family history,2,canonigo family tree,4,canonigo genealogy,4,canonigo surname,2,carcar,1,cartago delenda est,1,carthage,1,carthagiensis victoriae,1,cartographic history,1,cat meat,1,catfish,1,ceboom,1,cebu,11,cebu arenas,1,cebu brt system,1,Cebu cinema,1,cebu city,9,cebu coliseum,1,cebu developments,1,cebu hauntings,2,cebu heritage,7,cebu history,33,cebu masterplan,1,cebu megadome,2,cebu mrt system,1,cebu railways,1,cebu shopping malls,3,cebu sports facilities,1,cebu stadiums,1,cebu streets,1,Cebu theaters,1,cebu tourism,1,cebuano,3,cebuano spy,1,cebuano television show,1,celebrity gossip,2,characters,1,chika minute,1,china,2,chinese,4,chinese ancestors,2,chiong veloso family,1,chismis,1,christianity,2,christmas,2,christmas carols,1,christmas in the philippines,3,chronicles,4,Civil War,2,claudio,1,coke go for goal,1,colon obelisk,1,colon street,1,colorized old photographs,3,comic book,2,comic books,1,comics,1,comparison,1,conrado tudtud,1,controversy,1,corrupt politicians,5,costliest typhoons,2,covid-19,1,cuisine,5,culinary trip,2,cultural,1,cultural cringe,1,culture,1,curse,1,dall e,1,dancing sun,1,dante guidetti,1,darna,2,darna ajaib,1,darth vader family tree,1,davao basketball arena,1,davao sports venue,1,david nepomuceno,1,deadliest firecrackers,1,deadliest typhoons,2,december,1,december 7 1941,1,delenda est,1,department stores,1,developments,1,disaster relief,1,disinformation,1,disputed islands,1,dna test,1,dongmakgol,1,download mba2k,1,download mba2k17,1,drinking culture,1,dutch,1,dynamites,1,dynasty,1,eddie gil,1,election,4,election ads,2,election campaign,4,electioneering,5,elections,6,eleksyon 2016,1,eleksyon 49,1,elena jurado,1,elena jurado ancestors,1,elena jurado family tree,1,elena jurado genealogy,1,elpidio,1,emperor novales,1,enrique of malacca,1,entertainment,2,epal,2,epalism,2,exotic cuisine,1,expatriates,1,extra rice,1,fake facebook profiles,1,fake profiles,1,family history,2,family tree,6,famous relatives,1,far eastern games,1,fashion,1,fear,1,fear factor,1,fears,1,feature,6,featured,6,fernando poe jr,1,fiba olympic qualifying tournament,2,fiba world championship,5,fiba world cup,4,fifa world cup,1,fighter wine,1,filipino,5,Filipino architecture,2,filipino celebrities,1,filipino comics,1,filipino culture,3,filipino diaspora,1,filipino films,1,filipino mall culture,1,filipino nationalism,1,filipino spanish,1,filipino-american,1,filipino-american war,7,filipino-indonesian family,1,filipinos,3,films,3,finding their roots,18,firecrackers,1,fireworks,1,first asian actor in hollywood,1,first touch soccer,2,first touch soccer kits,1,food,7,food trip,3,football,5,football history,9,football league structure,2,football legends,2,football tournament,2,foreign relations,3,foreigners,1,fpj,1,france,1,FTS kits,3,fts15,3,fts15 kits,4,future,1,gabe norwood,1,gabe norwood family tree,1,gabe norwood genealogy,1,gabriel daniel norwood,1,game shows,1,gangnam style,1,gastronomy,5,gaudencio bueno,1,genealogy,8,genie,1,genie of the lamp,1,germans,1,germany,4,gilas,1,gilas pilipinas,11,globalization,1,God Save the Queen,1,goliat,1,gomburza,1,good friday,1,good old days,1,goodbye philippines,1,gossips,3,grandfather paradox,3,Guerrillas,1,guest blogging,3,guest post,3,halalan 2016,1,hamburger,1,han,1,han solo family tree,1,Harry Turtledove,2,hawaii,1,headline,13,henry the black,1,hero,2,hero obsession,1,higugmaa ang dios,1,hilario moncado,1,hipodromo,1,hippodrome,1,hispania,4,historical films,2,historical leaders,2,history,48,history of cebuano language,1,hitler,1,holy week,1,hymns,1,identity thieves,1,imperial manila,1,import,1,independence day,1,indonesian darna,1,indonesian family history,1,indonesian family tree,1,infographics,1,inuman,1,invasion,2,iron sky,1,ispageti,1,italian,1,italians,1,jai alai building,1,jai alai in cebu,1,japan,2,japanese,4,japanese bazaars,1,jeepney,1,jersey,1,jersey number,1,jersey numbers,1,jerseys,1,jesus,1,jim olmedo alapag,1,jimmy alapag,1,jimmy alapag family tree,1,jimmy alapag genealogy,1,jorgensen,2,jose rizal,6,jose rizal family tree,3,jose rizal genealogy,3,jose rizal girlfriends,2,josephine bracken,1,julian daan,1,kahadloki ang dios,1,kalayaan,1,kansas history,1,karaang sugbu,18,karen,1,kasadya ning taknaa,1,killing adolf hitler,1,kingdom of humanity,1,kjc king dome,1,kobe paras family tree,1,komics,1,kontrabida,1,korean,4,korean war,2,koreans,3,koreans in the philippines,1,krag,2,kris,2,language,2,lapulapu,3,learning spanish,1,lebron james ancestors,1,lebron james family history,1,lebron james family tree,1,lebron james genealogy,1,lebrons real father,1,leia organa family tree,1,leon kilat,1,lito lapid,1,litratista,1,living in cebu,2,london olympics,1,london riots,1,long distance relationships,1,long lost family,4,los extranjeros,1,los tiradores de la muerte,1,lost ancestors,2,lost landmarks,8,louisiana,1,love on the internet,2,luke skywalker family tree,1,luzon lumber,1,mabolo golden era,1,machine learning,1,mactan,1,maharlika pilipinas basketball league,1,malacañang,3,malaysia,1,malditas,2,mall of asia arena,2,malls,1,mampor,1,manila,2,manila men,1,manila xi,1,maniniyot,1,mariano vestil,1,marie josephine leopoldine bracken,1,marites,1,mars ravelo,1,mass hysteria,1,massacre,1,max joseph,1,mba,1,mba2k,1,medicinal wines,1,medieval christianity,1,megadome project,1,merdeka,1,mes que un club,1,metro cebu,5,metroball,1,metropolitan basketball association,2,mexicans,1,mexico,1,micronations,1,midjourney,1,military food,1,military ration,1,minda mora,1,mindanao,1,ming dynasty,1,missouri history,1,moa arena,1,money,1,Morac-Songhreti-Meads,1,moro,2,mortal kombat,1,movies,3,mtv,1,mugen philippines,1,mugen pilipinas,1,murang bilihin noon,1,muslim,2,national anthems,2,national basketball association,1,national dish,1,natural disasters,1,nazi,1,Nazi victory,2,NBA,3,nba 2k14,1,negros basketball arena,1,netherlands,1,netherlands east indies,1,nev schulman,1,news misreporting,1,nightmare,1,nippon bazar,1,no hablo espanol,1,north korea,1,nuisance candidates,1,occupied Japan,1,ofw,2,old cebu,25,old documentaries,1,old films,1,old parks of cebu,1,old photographs,3,old plazas of cebu,1,Olympic Games,2,olympic gold medals,1,olympics,2,one hundred,1,online relationships,1,operation,1,overseas filipino workers,2,paduka pahala,1,pagkaing pinoy,1,pandemic,1,pangasinan,1,paputok,1,paracel,1,parallel worlds,3,paras family tree,1,paras genealogy,1,pascual racuyal,1,pasko sa sugbu,1,pasta,1,pastor apollo quiboloy,1,paul john dalistan,1,paul lee,1,paul lee family tree,1,paul lee genealogy,1,paulino alcantara,1,pba,6,pba dleague,1,PBA home away format,2,pba players,4,pbl,1,pcbl,1,pearl harbor,1,peftok,1,penitence,1,penitencial practices,1,perrelos,1,personal,2,pesos,1,Philippine architecture,2,philippine arena,3,Philippine basketball,3,philippine basketball association,9,philippine basketball team,8,philippine cinema,2,philippine election,2,philippine expeditionary force,1,philippine football team,13,philippine history,29,philippine movies,6,philippine politics,5,philippine revolution,1,philippine sports stadium,1,philippine television,1,philippine-american war,4,philippines,25,philippines football league,6,philippines in the olympics,2,philippines-china relations,2,phobia,1,phobias,1,pilate,1,pinoy food,4,pinoys,1,point of divergence,11,political,4,political corruption,6,politics,6,pontius,1,pop culture,3,Portugal,1,portuguese,1,prejudices,2,presidentiables,2,presidential,2,presidential election 2016,2,presidents,4,princess,1,private,1,public transportation,1,pulutan,1,punic wars,1,quirino,1,race relations,2,racism,3,Red Legs,1,religion,1,republic of cebu,1,Republic of Koneuwe,1,rice consumption,1,rice obsession,1,rizals chinese ancestors,1,Robert Silverberg,1,robinsons galleria cebu,2,Roma Eterna,1,Roman Empire,1,rome,2,royal ancestors,1,rumors,2,russia,1,sabah,1,samahang basketbol ng pilipinas,2,scarborough shoal,2,scripts,1,sea games,1,seaside city arena,1,segunda katigbak ancestors,1,segunda katigbak descendants,1,seven years war,1,shoutout culture,1,showbiz,1,si goot da wanderpol,1,sick man of asia,1,sidekicks,1,silmido,1,sioktong,1,siomai,1,siomai sa tisa,1,siopao,1,skin color,1,skin tone,1,skin whitening,1,sm arena cebu,1,sm city cebu,1,sm malls,1,sm seaside city,4,sm seaside city arena,2,smart gilas,6,soccer,2,social commentary,2,south korea,1,southeast asian games,1,Soviet invasion of Japan,1,spaghetti,1,spain,6,spanish filipino,1,spanish flu,1,spanish in the philippines,1,spanish language,1,spanish-american war,1,speaking spanish,1,sports,4,sports uniform,1,spratly islands,2,spratly islands dispute,2,st malo,1,stable diffusion,1,star wars family tree,1,Star-Spangled Banner,1,Stephen Curry family tree,1,Stephen Curry genealogy,1,stereotypes,2,street fighter,1,street food,2,sulu sultanate,1,summer,1,superheroes,3,superheroine,1,superpowers,2,supporting actors,1,taegukgi,1,taisho bazar,1,team pilipinas,1,teban,1,telenovela,4,teleserye,4,television,4,television programs,6,television shows,6,territorial dispute,3,The Guns of the South,1,things to do,1,three wishes,1,time travel,2,tomas,1,tomas claudio,1,tourist attractions,1,tourist destinations,1,Trans-Mississippi,1,true passion of the nation,1,tv personalities,1,typhoon bopha,1,typhoon haiyan,1,typhoon odette,1,typhoon pablo,1,typhoon rai,1,typhoon yolanda,1,typhoons,2,uk,1,United football league,2,united kingdom,1,united states,4,urban legends,6,urduja,1,us civil war,3,usa,1,valentin santos,1,vehicles,1,vicente rubi,1,video,3,video game,5,video game characters,1,video games,8,villains,1,vino kulafu,1,voc,1,war,8,war in film,1,war movies,1,war on terror,1,warrior princess,1,watusi,1,white,1,white man's burden,1,who do you think you are,9,william grayson,1,willie revillame,1,willing willie,1,wish list,1,women,2,wonder woman,1,world basketball championship,3,world domination,1,world war 2,5,world war one,2,writings,1,written language,1,written scripts,1,ww2,2,wwi,1,wwII,2,
ltr
item
Istoryadista | History Blog | Cebu Blogger: Finding the Oldest Film on Cebu
Finding the Oldest Film on Cebu
Ever wondered what Cebu was like through old black and white films? But have you ever seen the oldest film on Cebu at all? Why is it difficult to find
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFTGYZNra3NhRQkty11tH-6OJjBNHZRR7XyqrVWusf-U8J4Zp2vLQRo85iF5pg8oMzpsr1c5BbAVn_JVpMk7U08ycpS3vE9vOUn0AFBtbQNy8lVKIAa0WwoYrUJ-5vkahiFRjb0bakSB2PntcC-e9lMWdPmbAvzgTfgzDXxHL-yee6Ouu2qVmdlvM-g/w640-h328/abaca%201.png
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFTGYZNra3NhRQkty11tH-6OJjBNHZRR7XyqrVWusf-U8J4Zp2vLQRo85iF5pg8oMzpsr1c5BbAVn_JVpMk7U08ycpS3vE9vOUn0AFBtbQNy8lVKIAa0WwoYrUJ-5vkahiFRjb0bakSB2PntcC-e9lMWdPmbAvzgTfgzDXxHL-yee6Ouu2qVmdlvM-g/s72-w640-c-h328/abaca%201.png
Istoryadista | History Blog | Cebu Blogger
https://www.istoryadista.net/2022/06/finding-oldest-film-on-cebu.html
https://www.istoryadista.net/
https://www.istoryadista.net/
https://www.istoryadista.net/2022/06/finding-oldest-film-on-cebu.html
true
2148827822363692190
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read More Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy Table of Content