Ang Larawan

From the masterpiece of National Artist  for Literature, Nick Joaquin and Screenplay by National Artist  for Theatre and Literature. Rolando S. Tinio comes the stage play masterpiece that is now adapted as a musical-romance-drama movie coming to you this Metro Manila Film Festival 2017. 

In 1997, Musical Theater Philippines (now Culturtain Musicat Productions Inc. ) headed by singer Celeste Legaspi and talent manager/producer Girlie Rodis staged Larawan, the first musical rendition of Joaquin’s great play, at the CCP. The elegaic play was transformed into a musical with a libretto written by National Artist for Theater Rolando Tinio and music created by iconic original Filipino music composer Ryan Cayabyab.

"Ang Larawan" stars Rachel Alejandro, Joana Ampil, and Paulo Avelino along with premiere theater  and character actors and performers in the country such as Aicelle Santos, Sandino Martin, Cris Villonco, Nonie Buencamino, Robert Arevalo, Menchu Lauchenco. Rayver Cruz, Dulce, Jaime Fabregas, Nanette Inventor. Bernardo Bernardo, Noel Trinidad, and with a special perticipation in the movie ZsaZsa Padilla, Celeste Legaspi, and Ogie Alcasid. 

This story set before World War II in Intramuros tells of the plight of sisters Candida and Paula Marasigan, daughters of high-profile painter Don Lorenzo Marasigan.

Since Don Lorenzo has not produced a single painting for a long time, the family is in financial trouble. The unmarried sisters have had to rely on their seemingly more successful brother Manolo and sister Pepang. Their siblings urge Candida and Paula to sell the house.

To have a source of income, the sisters take in a boarder, Tony Javier. Meanwhile, Don Lorenzo becomes a recluse. The painter’s self-portrait fetches a high sum as it attracts the curiosity of many individuals which include pretentious art critics, bonafide journalist and family friend Bitoy Camacho, Senator Perico who asks the sisters to donate the portrait to the government and Tony who tries to convince Candida and Paula to sell it to an American.

Larawan is an ode to the passing of the world of truth and beauty and a celebration of the tenacity of the spirit amidst the rise of materialism and consumerism.