Film enthusiasts gathered at the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Cinematheque Centre Manila on September 10 for a special retrospective honoring acclaimed director Jeffrey Jeturian as part of the Philippine Film Industry Month celebration. The event was presented under the FDCP’s monthly Cinematheque Director Series, giving audiences an opportunity to revisit some of the filmmaker’s most significant works and hear directly from the director.
A graduate of Broadcast Communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman, Jeturian began his career as a production assistant before taking on various roles including script continuity supervisor, art director, production designer, and assistant director. His experience across different areas of production eventually led him to directing, where he established a body of work spanning mainstream television and socially grounded Philippine cinema.
Jeturian is widely recognized for directing the popular television series Be Careful With My Heart (2012–2014) and the critically acclaimed film Ekstra (The Bit Player, 2013), starring Vilma Santos. His filmography also includes Sana Pag-ibig Na (Enter Love, 1998), Pila Balde (Fetch a Pail of Water, 1999), Tuhog (Larger than Life, 2001), and Kubrador (The Bet Collector, 2006), films that explore everyday Filipino experiences while examining social realities, family dynamics, and the challenges faced by working-class communities.
The Cinematheque showcase featured screenings of Kubrador and Tuhog. Kubrador follows a numbers game collector navigating poverty and personal loss, while Tuhog uses interconnected stories and dark satire to examine struggle, fate, and exploitation. The screenings were followed by a talkback moderated by film educator and advocacy filmmaker Seymour Sanchez, a professional lecturer at Far Eastern University and part-time faculty member at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
The retrospective also highlighted the creative legacy of the late Armando “Bing” Lao, recently proclaimed National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts. Lao wrote Tuhog and served as creative consultant on Kubrador. Through its continuing monthly program of curated screenings and director conversations, the FDCP Cinematheque Director Series provides audiences with opportunities to revisit important works while gaining insights into the filmmakers and creative forces behind Philippine cinema.
