After World War II, the Philippine version of a war film emerged as a genre.

The audience were hungry for films with patriotic themes. Films such as Garrison 13 (1946), Dugo ng Bayan (The Countrys Blood) (1946), Walang Kamatayan (Deathless) (1946), and Guerilyera (1946), narrated the horrors of the war and the heroism of the soldiers and guerrillas.[5] The 1950s was the labeled as the first golden age of Philippine cinema. Four big production studios (LVN Pictures, Sampaguita Pictures, Premiere Productions and Lebran International) were at their peak in filmmaking, employing premier directors like Gerardo de Len, Eddie Romero and Csar Gallardo while contracting the biggest stars of that period. The Filipino film industry was one of the busiest and bustling film communities in Asia, releasing an average of 350 films a year making Philippines second to Japan in terms of film productions a year. The premier directors of the era were (but not limited to):

Lamberto Avellana Gerardo de Len Gregorio Fernndez Csar Gallardo Armando Garces Eddie Romero Cirio Santiago

The biggest stars of the era were (but not limited to):

Tessie Agaa Dely Atayatayan Andoy Balunbalunan Bentot Nida Blanca Nena Cardenas Bayani Casimiro Levi Celerio Chichay Chiquito Manuel Conde Rogelio de la Rosa Jaime de la Rosa Gil de Len Van de Len Nestor de Villa Eddie del Mar Rosa del Rosario Mila del Sol Lauro Delgado Dolphy

Linda Estrella Arsenia Francisco Eddie Garca Rita Gmez Luis Gonzles scar Keese Anita Linda Vicente Liwanay Lopito Rosa Ma Fred Montilla scar Moreno scar Obligacin Bert Olivar Jos Padilla, Jr. Paraluman Patsy (Pachochay) Fred Pealosa Ben Prez Pugak Pugo

Csar Ramrez Delia Razn Efren Reyes, Sr. Johnny Reyes Lolita Rodrguez Gloria Romero Rosa Rosal Carmen Rosales Ben Rubio Rubn Rustia Carlos Salazar Tony Santos, Sr. Charito Sols Togo Tolindoy Tugak Carol Varga Alicia Vergel Evelyn Villar Billy "Surot" Vizcarra Zaldy Zshornack

The four biggest production studios produced most of the notable films of Philippine cinema during this era. In 1951, the movie Roberta of Sampaguita Pictures which featured leading child stars was the hit. LVN Pictures, under the leadership of the Doa Sisang de Len, not only specialized in super productions, rural comedies and musicals, but also produced sociallyrelevant films such as Avellana's Anak Dalita (1956), Tony Santos's Badjao (1957) and Manuel Silos's Biyaya ng Lupa (1959). Sampaguita Pictures mainly produced high-gloss, glamorous pictures such as Maalaala Mo Kaya (1954). On the other, hand Premiere Productions released most of the action films of the decade, such as Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo (1952), Salabusab (1954) and Huwag Mo Akong Limutin (1960). High production values on the motion pictures during this era produced movies that gained international acclaim. In 1952, Manuel Conde's Genghis Khan became the first Asian film to be shown at the Venice and Cannes Film Festival, a feat that would not be repeated until the 1970s. Inspired by Conde's picture, Hollywood remade Genghis Khan in 1956 as The Conqueror with John Wayne as the lead star.[5][8][11] In 1956, Anak Dalita copped the Golden Harvest Award (Best Picture) of the prestigious AsiaPacific Film Festival. Actress Lilia Dizon, was presented with the Best Actress Award by the prince of Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk, for the film Kandelerong Pilak in the 1954 AsiaPacific Film Festival. Leroy Salvador was also recognized in his performance as Best Supporting Actor for the film Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (1953) in the same film festival. During this era, the first award-giving body was also established in 1950. The Mara Clara Awards of the Manila Times Publishing Corp., was composed of film publicists and writers who voted for the exemplary achievements of Filipino motion pictures in a calendar year. In 1953, the Mara Clara folded up to give way to the establishment of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), the Philippines' equivalent to the United States' Academy Awards in prestige. During this period, Filipinos saw Hollywood's first full length picture in living Technicolor. Soon after, Filipino local producers started presenting full-length pictures in color despite some technical deficiency, one of which was Prinsipe Amante (Prince Amante).[8]

[edit] 1960s
This era is characterized by rampant commercialism with James Bond and Western knock offs, and in the latter 60's, the so-called bomba (soft porn) pictures. It was also the era of musical films produced mostly by Sampaguita Pictures and their discovered talents. The studio systems came under siege from the growing labor movement, which resulted in labormanagement conflicts. The first studio to close was Lebran followed by Premiere Productions then LVN. Those production studios were replaced by new and independent producers like Regal Films, which was established by Lily Monteverde in 1962. The decade also saw the emergence of the youth subculture best represented by the Beatles and rock and roll. As a result, certain movie genres were made to cater to this trend. Fan movies and

teen love team-ups emerged, showing Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos, along with Tirso Cruz III and Edgar Mortiz as their respective screen sweethearts. In addition, movie genres showing disaffection to the status quo during the era were also popular. Action movies with Pinoy cowboys and secret agents as the movers of the plots depicted a "society ravaged by criminality and corruption".[5] Another kind of youth revolt, implying rejection of adult corruption, came in the form of movies featuring child stars. Near the end of this decade, another movie genre that embodied a different form of revolt took center stage. Soft porn movies, more popularly known as bomba films, increasingly became popular, and these films were described as a direct challenge to the conventions, norms and conduct of the society. Even in the period of decline, several Philippine films that stood out. These include the following films by Gerardo de Leon:

Noli Me Tangere (Touch me Not) in 1961; El Filibusterismo (Subversion) in 1962; Huwag mo Akong Limutin (Never Forget Me) in 1960; and, Kadenang Putik (Chain of Mud) in 1960.

During this period, Filipino filmmakers were more successful in presenting some full-length pictures in living Eastmancolor, one of which was Ito ang Pilipino by J.E. Production. This movie was produced and starred by Joseph Estrada.[8]

[edit] 1970s to early 1980s

Touted as the second golden age of Philippine cinema, this was the period of the avant-garde filmmakers. At the turn of the 70s, local producers and filmmakers ceased to produce pictures in black and white.[5][8] In 1972, the Philippines was placed under the martial law, and films were used as propaganda vehicles. President Ferdinand Marcos and his technocrats sought to regulate filmmaking through the creation of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures (BCMP). Prior to the start of filming, a finished script was required to be submitted to the Board and incorporate the "ideology" of the New Society Movement such as, a new sense of discipline, uprightness and love of country. Annual festivals were revived, and the bomba films as well as political movies critical of the Marcos administration were banned.[5] In spite of the censorship, the exploitation of sex and violence onscreen continued to assert itself. Under martial law, action films usually append an epilogue like claims that social realities depicted had been wiped out with the establishment of the New Society. The notorious genre of sex or bomba films still existed but in a milder, less overt way like female stars swimming in their underwear or taking a bath in their chemise, labeled as the "wet look." An example of the trend was the 1974 hit movie Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa (The Most Beautiful Animal on the Face of the Earth) which featured former Miss Universe Gloria Daz.[5] In spite of the presence of censorship, this period paved way to the ascendancy of a new breed of directors. Some of the notable films made by these new crop of filmmakers were:

Lino Brocka o Tubog sa Ginto (1970) o Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (1974) o Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1975) o Insiang (1976) Ishmael Bernal o Pagdating sa Dulo (1971) o Manila by Night (1980) o Relasyon (1982) Mike de Len o Itim (1976) o Batch '81 o Sister Stella L (1984) Peque Gallaga o Oro, Plata, Mata (1982)

In 1977, an unknown Filipino filmmaker going by his pseudonym Kidlat Tahimik, made a film entitled Mababangong Bangungot (Perfumed Nightmare), which won the International Critics Prize in the Berlin Film Festival that same year. Out of short film festivals sponsored by the University of the Philippines Film Center and by the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines, young filmmakers joined Kidlat Tahimik by distancing themselves from the traditions of mainstream cinema. Nick De Ocampos Oliver (1983) and Raymond Reds Ang Magpakailanman (The Eternal, 1983) have received attention in festivals abroad. In 1981, as mandated by Executive Order No. 640-A, the Film Academy of the Philippines was enacted, serving as the umbrella organization that oversees the welfare of various guilds of the movie industry and gave recognition to the artistic and technical excellence of the performances of its workers and artists.[12] The same year, Viva Films was established and began its rise as a production company. During the closing years of martial rule, a number of films defiant of the Marcos dictatorship were made. Films such as Marilou Diaz-Abayas Karnal implicitly depicted this defiance in the films plot, wherein patricide ended a tyrannical fathers domination. In the same year, Mike de Leons Sister Stella L., a movie about oppression and tyranny was shown on the big screen. In 1985, Lino Brockas Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (My Country: Grip the Knifes Edge) depicted images of torture, incarceration, struggles and oppression.[5] During this period, the Philippines ranked among the top 10 film-producing countries in the world, with an annual output of more than 300 movies.[13] Pagkatapos ng digmaan, ay sumikat ang mag pelikulang ukol sa digmaan, ang mga tao ay gustunggusto na makapanood ng mga iyon, na ang karamihang tema ay propaganda, tulad ng Garison 13,(1946) Dugo ng Bayan, (1946) Walang Kamatayan at Gerilya na isang uri ng naratibong salaysay tukol sa mga kabayanihan ng ng mga sundalo noong panahon ng digmaan.

Dito din nag simula ang Realismo sa Pelikula ng Pilipinas. base sa mga buhay ng pilipino tulad ng tungkol sa mga napapanahong mga usapin sa lipunang kinagagalawan ng mga Pilipino, sa panahong ito ay naging popular rin ang komedya at drama.