Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.

Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M. is a 1991 Metro Manila Film Festival entry that tells the story of a singer-entertainer Pacita M. ( Nora Aunor) in a seedy Quezon City nightclub. Pacita, has chosen the "unworthy" occupation of becoming a singer and standup comedian, and this is another source of conflict between her and the girl's proud, aristocratic grandmother. Pacita, in earlier scenes is shown as one lacking in manners, is being tried for killing her daughter, Grace (Lotlot de Leon). She has attempted to disconnect the respirator that sustains the life of her comatose daughter. This highly acclaimed movie directed by Elwood Perez bravely tackles the sensitive issue of euthanasia.[1]

Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.
The Official Poster for 1991 Metro Manila Film Festival
Directed byElwood Perez
Produced by
  • George Jatico
  • Mely Nicandro
Written byRicardo Lee
StarringNora Aunor
Music byDanny Tan
CinematographyRicardo Jacinto
Edited byGeorge Jarlego
Production
company
MRN Films
Release date
25 December 1991
Running time
108 minutes
CountryPhilippines
LanguageFilipino

Synopsis

Pacita M (Nora Aunor) is an aging bar singer in a seedy Quezon City Night Club who reaches the lowest point in her life and realizes that she has accomplished nothing noteworthy. Her only source of joy and inspiration is her daughter Grace (Lotlot de Leon), she's the apple of her mother's protective eyes.

However, tragedy struck the family when Grace was accidentally shot in the head by a stray bullet just as she was about to go off to college.turning her into a human vegetable. Adding to the tragedy, Grace's leg has to be amputated due to gangrene. The situation forces Pacita to seek a reconciliation with her wealthy, status-conscious mother (Armida Siguion-Reyna).[2]

Although initially Pacita holds out for a miracle and hopes for the recovery of her daughter, she relents and seeks to allow Grace a dignified death by turning off her respirator. The emotional battle accompanying this decision becomes a personal epiphany for Pacita.

Cast

Reviews
  • Thus, Nora Aunor as the critical point of departure, is both significant and necessary as subsequent events prove that interest in the aforementioned films draws largely from her direct participation in projects that are deemed unpopular and uncommercial. The star-actress as “auteur” marks a development of great import necessitates continued inquiry given the current decline in serious film making. Pacita M. for one, like the previous films, characterizes a tendency on the part of its creators to deviate from the usual. Aunor, especially in Pacita M., displays flexibility in characterization, calling forth a performance of a certain intensity and grit: the rapid shift in emotional states, as in the breakdown scene with Marissa Delgado and in the last sequence with the still living Lotlot de Leon, is almost flawless. - Mau Tumbocon, “Women on the Edge,” Daily Globe, 1991
  • As the tacky former japayuki who strives to give only the best to her daughter, Aunor evinces an acting style that is sure, keen and affecting. - Patrick D. Flores and Nonoy L. Lauzon, 2nd Circle Citation, Young Critics Circle

Awards and recognition
Year Group Category Nominee Result
1991 Metro Manila Film Festival [3] Best Picture Won
Best Actress Nora Aunor Won
Best Director Elwood Perez Won
Best Editing George Jarlego Won
Best Story Ricky Lee Won
Best Screenplay Ricky Lee Won
Best Original Song Lucio San Pedro Won
Best Music Danny Tan Won
1992 FAMAS Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards Best Picture Won
Best Actress Nora Aunor Won
Best Director Elwood Perez Won
Best Screenplay Ricky Lee Won
Best Supporting Actress Armida Siguion-Reyna Nominated
Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) Best Actress Nora Aunor Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Armida Siguion-Reyna Nominated
Film Academy of the Philippines (Luna Awards) Best Actress Nora Aunor Won
Best Director Elwood Perez Won
Best Screenplay Ricky Lee Won
Star Awards for Movies (Philippine Movie Press Club) Best Actress Nora Aunor Won
Young Critics Circle Best Performance by Male or Female, Adult or Child, Individual or Ensemble in Leading or Supporting Role Nora Aunor Won
Best Picture Nominated
Best Screenplay Ricky Lee Nominated

List of Film Festival Competed or Exhibited
  • 1992 - Honolulu Film Festival
  • 1992 - Singapore Film Festival
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References
  1. "Nora Aunor Filmography". Archived from the original on 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2013-01-25.
  2. Holden, Stephen. "Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M. (1993)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-01-25.
  3. "Metro Manila Film Festival:1991". IMDB. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
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