Commerce versus art: 'Ang Larawan' frames the age-old debate to inspire Filipino youth

During their recent visit to Brisbane, esteemed Filipino composer and musical director Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, executive producers Celeste Legaspi-Gallardo and Girlie Rodis shared with SBS Filipino the long, serendipitous journey and the timely release of their film, ‘Ang Larawan.’

Esteemed Filipino composer and musical director Ryan Cayabyab Source: Wikimedia Commons/Titpao

The film was based on the elegy ‘The Portrait of the Filipino as an Artist’ (1950) written by National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, Nick Joaquin. In 1997, another National Artist by the name of Rolando Tinio (Theater and Literature) translated the play to Filipino and wrote the lyrics to the musical. 

Maestro Cayabyab was proclaimed National Artist of the Philippines for Music just a month before their trip to Brisbane where he was nominated for Best Original Score at Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2018 for his musical direction in the film.

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