The Lopez Museum and Library invites the public to a talk by historian Abel Ubaldo, to introduce a free screening of the restored 1950 Filipino film classic “Mutya ng Pasig,” on Oct. 11. 

Ubaldo’s talk, titled “Phantom Muse: Folklore and Fantasy in ‘Mutya ng Pasig,’” starts at 10 a.m. at Power Plant Mall’s VIP Cinema 8 at Rockwell in Makati City. It delves into the film’s cultural and historical contexts, offering insights into how cinema has carried Filipino folk identity and traditions across generations.

The research expertise of Ubaldo, a faculty member of Ateneo de Manila University’s Department of History, includes film history, cultural regulation, and sexuality in cinema. Among his publications are “Beautiful Bodies, Subversive Sexualities: Bomba Stars and Resistance to Marcosian National Sexuality in Filipinas” (2022) in the Journal of Philippine Studies Association and “Nude Bodies and Exposed Patrons: Discourses on Bomba Film” (2023) in Pelikula: A Journal of Philippine Cinema and Moving Images.

The LVN classic “Mutya ng Pasig,” restored by Sagip Pelikula, is a kundiman-inspired production directed by Richard Abelardo and based on the 1926 musical composition by Nicanor Abelardo of the same title. It stars Jose Padilla Jr., Rebecca Gonzales, Teody Belarmino, and Delia Razon, among others.

The Oct. 11 event is being held in partnership with ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema) and ABS-CBN Sagip Pelikula, with the support of Power Plant Mall Cinema and Starbucks Philippines.

Admission fees are ₱500; ₱450 (10% discount) for students, cultural workers, and Lopez Group employees with valid IDs; and ₱400 (20% discount) for seniors and PWDs with valid IDs. Registration Link: https://bit.ly/phantommusefolkloreandfantasy.

Founded in 1960, the Lopez Museum and Library is the oldest privately-owned and -managed museum and library in the Philippines, specializing in Filipiniana material from the 16th century to the 21st. For more information and inquiries, contact: [email protected].