Cast * * * * * * * * * * Albert Martinez - Jose Rizal Amanda Page - Josephine Bracken Roy Alvarez - Capt.

Ricardo Carnicero Jimmy Fabregas - Father Sanchez Chris Micelena - Father Antonio Obach Candy Pangilinan - Maria Rizal Tess Dumpit - Narcisa Rustica Carpio - Teodora Alonzo Rizal Junell Hernando - Joselito Paul Holmes - George Taufer

Plot Summary The film starts with Dr. Jose Rizal being ferried to Dapitan in the province of Zamboanga after being implicated in the activities of the growing rebellion in J uly 1892. He was met by Father Obach(Chris Micelena) who asked Rizal to renounce his heretical statements. Rizal arrived in Dapitan, marking its poor and seemin gly uncivilized condition and vowed to make developments within the town. Some o f these many developments were the draining of marshes in the province to get ri d of the mosquitoes which was the cause of Malaria in the town, a lighting syste m made of coconut lamps which were posted in the dark streets of Dapitan, a wate r supply system made of bamboo shoots, and the remodeling of the town plaza with the help of his Jesuit teacher, Father Francisco Sanchez. He also created a rel ief map of Mindanao using stones soil and grass in front of the town s church. Riz al s most recognized contribution to the town was education, teaching children (wh ich most, according to history, have become successful individuals) how to write , read, and other miscellaneous activities like fencing, sculpting, and painting . Being an experienced ophthalmologist, he visited people of the town and treate d them. His patients include his mother Teodora Alonzo (Rustica Carpio) who visi ted Rizal together with Maria (Candy Pangilinan) and Narcisa (Tess Dumpit). One certain American patient named George Taufer (Paul Holmes) visited Rizal for a p ossible treatment but Taufer s condition was beyond Rizal s help. Regardless, he met his stepdaughter, Josephine Bracken and fell in love with her immediately. Even tually she left Taufer to be engaged to Rizal. This engagement was questioned by Rizal s family, especially Maria who had suspicions of her being a spy. They woul d not marry under the Catholic Church due to the local friar s opposition to Rizal s political writings and stance. Unfortunately before they marry under common-law , they had a stillborn child named Francisco. The film ends with Rizal leaving B racken, the town of Dapitan, and the people mourning for his departure. There wa s also an added epilogue that stated Rizal s intent to work in Cuba, his arrest, h is execution, and the birth of the Philippine Revolution. Full Synopsis First in an announced trilogy, this biographical drama from the Philippines look s back at the life of multi-lingual ophthalmologist Jose Rizal, who wrote agains t colonial rule and Catholic Church. The foreign-educated Rizal became a key fig ure in Philippine's independence from Spain. Exiled to the remote village of Dap itan in 1892, Rizal (Albert Martinez) finds Father Obach (Chris Micelena) wants him to renounce his heretical statements. Eurasian orphan Josephine Bracken (Ama nda Page) arrives on the island, and there is no Church blessing when she and Ri zal marry. Shown at the 1997 Toronto Film Festival. PLOT

Jose Rizal (Martinez) was exiled in Dapitan in 1892, and he began adapting to hi s new home. He helped the local residents by offering free education to all chil dren, befriending his student Jose Asiniero (Hernando), and rendering his servic es as a doctor, including treating his mother, Doa Teodora Alonzo (Carpio), who v isited him with his sisters Maria (Pangilinan) and Narcisa (Dumpit). He met his fiance Josephine Bracken (Page) who brought her blinded stepfather Geo rge Taufer (Holmes) but later on she left him for her beloved Rizal. They decide to marry, but are refused a Church wedding on political grounds. The couple set tles for a common-law marriage despite initial opposition from Rizal's family, a nd have a stillborn son Rizal names Francisco. The film closes with Rizal leavin g Dapitan as the locals mourn him. An epilogue explains Rizal's intent to work i n Cuba and subsequent arrest, his execution and its birthing the Philippine Revo lution.