Lovingly and respectfully called Mother Lily, Lily Monteverde started her illustrious career in the film industry by firmly saying “If I can’t be an actress, I’ll be a producer.”, and indeed she did. Mother Lily produced more than 560 films. At the height of her career, she produced more than 20 films per year. She also worked with film legends like Ishmael Bernal, Peque Gallaga, and Jose Javier Reyes.
Many of the classics she produced are up on streaming sites like iWant TV, HOOQ, and iFlix. Here are five that you can watch now:
City After Dark (1980)
This film is a multi-narrative masterpiece directed by Ishmael Bernal. It’s one of the films that solidified Mother Lily’s love for the industry as she mentioned how lucky she was to have been able to work with film legends like Ishmael Bernal. City After Dark tells the stories of different people living in Manila, through a cutting and all too real way. The themes it tackles are still relatable despite it being made in the early 80s.
Sarah…Ang Munting Prinsesa (1995)
The story by Frances Hodgson Burnett was turned into a beloved anime which many Filipino kids at the time watched on television with tagalog dubbing. It became a favorite amongst the youth. Mother Lily turned it into a Filipino classic when she produced Sarah…ang Munting Prinsesa in 1995.
Pare Ko (1995)
If the 80’s had Maryo J. de los Reyes’ ‘Bagets’, the 90s had Jose Javier Reyes’ Pare Ko. Named after the Eraserheads’ classic, the film was a time capsule of millennial life in the 90s. Another certified classic produced by Mother Lily!
Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara (1995)
Aside from Mother Lily, another Chinoy played a vital role in this horror masterpiece, Rickly Lee. Written masterfully by Ricky Lee, and produced by Mother Lily, this remake based on the 1974 film ‘Patayin Mo sa Sindak Si Barbara’ brings together a solid story, terrifying sound design, clean visual effects and skilled actors to make a timeless and forever-horrifying film. Watch it at your own risk!
Mano Po (2001)
There are very few films out there that depict the life of Chinoys and Mano Po is one of them. The film is the first in its series, as Mano Po actually has 7 films under its name, and one Filipino counterpart. Mano po was one of the very films close to Mother Lily as it portrayed a part of the culture she grew up in.
Each of these films show a bit about just who Mother Lily Monteverde is but there’s actually so much more to this Chinay! If you want to get to know this legend more, watch her extended CHiNOY Profiles on our Youtube page!
