Eddie Romero

Eddie Romero
Born	Edgar Sinco Romero (1924-07-07)July 7, 1924 Dumaguete, Philippine Islands
Died	May 28, 2013(2013-05-28) (aged 88) Manila, Philippines
Alma mater	Silliman University
Occupation(s)	Film director, producer, screenwriter
Years active	1947-2013

Edgar Sinco Romero (July 7, 1924 – May 28, 2013) was an influential Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter, considered one of the finest in the cinema of the Philippines.

Romero was named National Artist of the Philippines in 2003, and his body of work delved into the history and politics of his country. His 1976 film Ganito Kami Noon…Paano Kayo Ngayon?, set at the turn of the 20th century during the revolution against the Spaniards and, later, the American colonizers, follows a naïve peasant through his leap of faith to become a member of an imagined community. Agila situated a family’s story against the backdrop of Filipino history, while Kamakalawa explored the folklore of prehistoric Philippines. Banta ng Kahapon, his "small" political film, was set against the turmoil of the late 1960s, tracing the connection of the underworld to the corrupt halls of politics. His 13-part series Noli Me Tangere brought Philippine national hero José Rizal's novel to a new generation of viewers.

Along with Filipino-language films, he made English-language films that became cult classics, like Black Mama, White Mama and The Twilight People and worked with American actors like John Ashley and Pam Grier. Romero's films, the National Artist citation stated, "are delivered in an utterly simple style – minimalist, but never empty, always calculated, precise and functional, but never predictable." Quentin Tarantino drew on Twilight People as an inspiration for his "grindhouse" homages.

Married to Carol Gonzalez, Romero was for a time the partner of actress Mila del Sol. He died of a blood clot and prostate cancer on May 28, 2013. He was survived by three children. Romero was an alumnus of Silliman University.

Filmography

• Si, si, señorito (1947) (writer)
• Paloma, La (1947) (writer)
• Ang Kamay ng Diyos (1947) (director, writer)
• Kaaway ng bayan (1947) (writer)
• Hele hele bago quiere (1947) (writer)
• Sipag ay yaman (1949) (writer)
• Milagro ng birhen ng mga rosas (1949) (writer)
• Camelia (1949) (writer)
• Batalyon trece (1949) (writer)
• Sabas, ang barbaro (1952) (director)
• Buhay alamang (1952) (director, screenplay)
• Indio, El (1953) (director)
• May bakas ang lumipas (1954) (director)
• Man on the Run (1958) (director)
• The Scavengers (1959) (co-producer, writer)
• Pitong gabi sa Paris (1960) (director)
• Lost Battalion (1961) (director, writer)
• The Raiders of Leyte Gulf (1963) (director)
• Cavalry Command (1963) aka The Day of the Trumpet (director, writer)
• Intramuros (1964) aka The Walls of Hell (director, writer)
• Moro Witch Doctor (1964) (director, writer)
• The Ravagers (1965) aka Hanggang may kalaban (Philippines: Tagalog title) (director, writer)
• The Passionate Strangers (1966) (director, writer)
• Manila, Open City (1968) (director, writer)
• Brides of Blood (1968) (director)
• The Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1968) (director)
• Beast of the Yellow Night (1971) (director, writer)
• Beast of Blood (1971) aka Beast of the Dead (USA: TV title), aka Blood Devils (UK), aka Horrors of Blood Island, aka Return to the Horrors of Blood Island (director, writer)
• Black Mama, White Mama (1972) (director)
• The Twilight People (1973) aka Beasts, aka Island of the Twilight People (director, writer)
• The Woman Hunt (1973) (director)
• Beyond Atlantis (1973) (director)
• Savage Sisters (1974) (director)
• Ganito kami noon, paano kayo ngayon (1976) (director, screenplay)
• Sudden Death (1977) (director)
• Sinong kapiling? Sinong kasiping? (1977) (director, writer)
• Banta ng kahapon (1977) (director, writer)
• Agila (1979) (director, screenplay)
• Durugin si Totoy Bato (1979) (screenplay)
• Palaban (1980) (director)
• Kamakalawa (1981) (director, writer)
• Desire (1982) (director)
• Padrino, Ang (1985) (screenplay)
• Hari sa hari, lahi sa lahi (1987) aka King and Emperor (International: English title) (director, writer)
• A Case of Honor (1988) (director)
• Whiteforce (1988) (director)
• Faces of Love (2006) (director)

Awards and nominations

Year	Group	Category	Work	Result
1976	Metro Manila Film Festival	Best Director	Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon	Won
		Best Screenplay (with Roy Iglesias)		Won

See also

• Cinema of the Philippines
• Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Award
• List of University of the Philippines people

References

• National Artist of the Philippines citation
• IMDb