Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita

Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Release movie poster
Directed byJoel C. Lamangan
Screenplay byRicardo Lee
Story by
  • Ricardo Lee
  • Joel C. Lamangan
Produced byRoselle Monteverde-Teo
Starring
CinematographyRolly Manuel
Edited byMarya Ignacio
Music byVon de Guzman
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • December 25, 2004 (2004-12-25)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryPhilippines
Languages
  • Filipino
  • Japanese
  • English
Budget₱75 million
Box office₱26.3 million

Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita[a] is a 2004 Philippine romantic war drama film directed by Joel C. Lamangan from a story co-written with Ricky Lee, who solely made it into a screenplay. Starring Judy Ann Santos, Raymart Santiago, Jay Manalo, and Dennis Trillo, the film is a story of love, betrayal, and honour in wartime, set in the Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1941–1945) during World War II.

A co-production of Regal Films and BAS Films, the film was theatrically released on December 25, 2004, as an entry for the 30th Metro Manila Film Festival.

Plot

In the town of San Nicolas, Virginia, nicknamed "Inya", is newly married to her childhood sweetheart, Edilberto, and is excited about starting a new family. Ignacio "Igna" Basa is Inya's best friend, a transgender woman who has been in love with Edilberto for years. However, their lives are interrupted by the start of the Pacific War in December 1941 and the subsequent Japanese invasion.

At the start of the Japanese occupation, Edilberto becomes a guerrilla leader in San Nicolas and takes the nom de guerre Berto. Ignacio becomes the movement's spy inside the Japanese forces. At the same time, she falls for Ichiru Hamaguchi, an Imperial Japanese Army official who returns her affections. Whenever Berto attacks a Japanese patrol, the latter burns a village and executes suspected guerrilla members under the direction of Maura, a collaborator. Maura discovers Ignacio's identity and divulges it to a Japanese officer, Hiroshi. He reports this to his superior Ichiru, who refuses to believe it until he suffers a nightmare of holding his father's blood in front of the Americans. He tries to make love to Igna, but the latter refuses. Ichiru reveals he knows Igna is transgender, and he does not care as long as he loves Igna.

After Berto’s family is massacred by the Japanese, he neglects his relationship with Inya, who suffers a series of miscarriages. He comes back to his senses when Inya is falsely accused of collaboration with the Japanese and is tortured. Berto tries to make amends with Inya but the latter refuses and sends him off to a mission in which he is killed, to Inya’s regret. Inya takes on Berto’s responsibilities as a guerrilla commander under his name.

As the guerrillas launch more raids, the Japanese brutally retaliate, holding the town mayor and others hostage. As Igna returns to camp after warning Inya of a raid, she is caught along with Ichiru by Maura and Hiroshi. Igna is beaten but later escapes with the help of Ichiru and a sympathetic colleague, Akihiro. Ichiru reveals to Igna that he knew she was helping the guerrillas all along but stayed quiet, saying that he did not want her to betray her country for him. Sheltering at the house of Igna’s stepmother Melba, Akihiro and Ichiru commit seppuku.

Igna again is arrested by Maura and Hiroshi and is tortured. Inya then raids the municipal hall and rescues Igna and the other hostages, while eliminating the Japanese garrison at the cost of several guerrillas. As Inya and Igna escape, Maura and Japanese reinforcements arrive and shoot Inya. She is shielded by Igna, who dies instead, whereupon Inya's men open fire on Maura's vehicle, killing her and the Japanese.

Decades later, an elderly Inya tells the truth about what happened during the war to local officials and her nephew, Senyang, who is revealed to be Akihiro’s granddaughter from an affair with a Filipina. As the officials discuss plans to commemorate the war dead, she leaves.

Cast

Main cast
Supporting cast

Themes

The film has been described as one of the "affirmative gay films" in Philippine cinema from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.[1]

Production

Writing

According to director Joel Lamangan, the film's plot was inspired by his townmate's wartime experiences. Ricky Lee, who co-wrote the story with Lamangan, took three days to write the screenplay. He revealed to the public that the project was rejected for five to seven years by various producers until Regal Films founder-executive producer Lily Y. Monteverde approved it.[2]

Casting

The film marks the first time where Judy Ann Santos and Raymart Santiago acted together despite being from different networks and film studios at the time, with Santos being an exclusive TV talent of ABS-CBN who did film projects for Star Cinema and Regal and Santiago being an exclusive talent of GMA Network and Viva Films.[3]

Reception

Accolades

Accolades received by Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2004 30th Metro Manila Film Festival Best Picture Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita 3rd [4]
Best Actor Raymart Santiago Nominated
Best Actress Judy Ann Santos Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Dennis Trillo Won
Best Gender-Sensitive Film Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita Won
2005 2nd Golden Screen Awards Breakthrough Performance by an Actor Dennis Trillo Won [5]
Best Sound Ramon Reyes Nominated
Best Original Song "Hanggang Wakas"
Written by Felix Rivera and composed by Von de Guzman		 Nominated
21st PMPC Star Awards for Movies Movie of the Year Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita Nominated [6]
Movie Actor of the Year Dennis Trillo Won
New Movie Actor of the Year Won
Movie Actress of the Year Judy Ann Santos Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Jay Manalo Won[b]
Director of the Year Joel Lamangan Nominated
Original Screenplay of the Year Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Written by Ricky Lee and Joel Lamangan		 Nominated
Editor of the Year Marya Ignacio Nominated
Production Designer of the Year Joey Luna Nominated
Original Theme Song of the Year "Hanggang Wakas"
Written by Felix Rivera and composed by Von de Guzman		 Nominated
28th Gawad Urian Awards Best Supporting Actor Dennis Trillo Nominated [7]
54th FAMAS Awards FAMAS Award for Best Picture Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita Nominated [8]
Best Supporting Actor Dennis Trillo Won
Best Supporting Actress Angelu de Leon Nominated
Best Director Joel Lamangan Nominated
Best Production Design Joey Luna Won
Best Sound Ramon Reyes Won
23rd Luna Awards Best Picture Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita Won [9]
Best Director Joel Lamangan Won
Best Actor Dennis Trillo Won
Best Supporting Actor Jay Manalo Won
Best Production Design Joey Luna Won
Best Editing Marya Ignacio Won
Best Musical Score Von de Guzman Nominated
Best Sound Ramon Reyes Nominated

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Both "Aishite imasu" (愛しています) and "Mahal kita" mean "I love you" in Japanese and Filipino, respectively.
  2. ↑ Tied with John Lloyd Cruz in Dubai.

Sources

  1. ↑ Martin, Fran (October 15, 2008). AsiaPacifiQueer: Rethinking Genders and Sexualities. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03307-0.
  2. ↑ Daza, Paul (December 27, 2004). "Ricky Lee: "I write because I want to be remembered". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Group of Companies. p. 70.
  3. ↑ "A long last love for Judy Ann, Raymart". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Group of Companies. December 22, 2004. p. A2-3.
  4. ↑ Kang, Kristine (January 2, 2025). "Dennis Trillo reminisces his 2004 MMFF Best Supporting Actor win". GMA News. GMA Network. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  5. ↑ Cruz, Marinel R. (March 8, 2005). "Golden Screen sights and shrieks". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Group of Companies. p. A28. Retrieved April 23, 2026 – via Google News.
  6. ↑ Cruz, Marinel R. (March 14, 2005). "Gay role nets top prize for newcomer". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Inquirer Group of Companies. p. A24. Retrieved April 23, 2026 – via Google News.
  7. ↑ "The 28th Gawad Urian: Cheering the young ones". The Philippine Star. Pilipino Star Printing Co., Inc. June 6, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  8. ↑ "The 53rd FAMAS Awards: A family affair". The Philippine Star. Pilipino Star Printing Co., Inc. June 28, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
  9. ↑ Chen, Richard (May 16, 2005). "The 23rd FAP/Luna Awards: Glamour is back in the industry". The Philippine Star. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
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