A long-lost Filipino film titled Diwata ng Karagatan (1936), believed to have disappeared for decades, has been successfully located at the Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique (Royal Film Archive of Belgium).
The major discovery was revealed by Nick Deocampo, a renowned Filipino historian and filmmaker, who traveled personally from Berlin to Brussels to confirm the film’s existence. With great excitement, he wrote on his Facebook account:
“A national film treasure has just been found! A copy of Diwata ng Karagatan, long-rumored to be existing but not found, has finally been located at the Belgian film archive.”
A Discovery That Rewrites History
For many years, Zamboanga (1937), starring Fernando Poe Sr., was considered the oldest surviving Filipino film. However, the discovery of Diwata ng Karagatan now replaces that record.
Deocampo described this finding as an “archaeological discovery” in cinema, as the film is now recognized as the earliest known surviving Filipino motion picture.
The film was produced by Jose Nepomuceno, widely known as the Father of Philippine Cinema, through his pioneering studio Parlatone Hispano-Filipino. It was directed by Carlos Vander Tolosa, a major figure who also directed the first films of two legendary studios, Sampaguita and LVN, in the 1930s.
A 35 mm celluloid print is currently preserved in the Belgian archive, after being transferred there in 2016 by CineLabor, a now-defunct film laboratory. The film has yet to be digitized, making it both extremely valuable and increasingly fragile.
The Erasure of a Filipino Film Classic in Europe
After its premiere in the Philippines in 1936, Diwata ng Karagatan was screened again in 1939 following its major success overseas. The film was shown in France, Belgium, and South America, and was even re-released under several French titles such as Ligaya, fille des îles (“Ligaya, Girl of the Island”) and Wong, le Tyran (“Wong, The Tyrant”).
However, its international distribution also marked the beginning of the erasure of the film’s true identity. Deocampo discovered that a French distributor named Gabriel Pallu had re-edited the film.
Pallu shortened the runtime to 52 minutes, removed all original credits, and replaced the Filipino filmmakers’ names with French counterparts. The film was even marketed as a documentary about “exotic tribes of the South Seas,” a popular genre in Europe during the 1930s.
Deocampo described this event as a form of “filmic and cultural erasure.” He recounted:
“Louise Baterna and I found it heartbreaking to find only a long black leader at the end of the film where names of Filipinos once appeared in the closing credits. The ending was all blacked-out while the theme music continued to play.”
Despite being altered and claimed as a foreign production, the original Tagalog dialogue remains intact, making it possible for researchers to trace the film’s origins.
Two leading actors have been successfully identified in the film: Rogelio de la Rosa and Mari Velez, both notable figures in the early history of Philippine cinema.
A Personal Mission for Philippine Cinema
What makes this story even more compelling is Deocampo’s personal effort in locating the film. He funded his own travel using his retirement money from the University of the Philippines, without logistical backing or support from any official institution.
During the process, he worked alongside Louise Baterna, the daughter of one of the pioneering directors of Ilonggo-language films.
“Without Louise's local support and facility in the French language, I would not have done everything in two days, considering I had no financial or logistical support but my retirement money from UP,” he wrote.
He also admitted that his actions were a “reckless gamble,” as he flew to Belgium without any guarantee that the film actually existed. Yet the gamble paid off, resulting in a monumental discovery for Philippine cultural history.
A Milestone for Philippine Cultural Heritage
The rediscovery of Diwata ng Karagatan stands as a significant symbol in the continuing effort to restore and repatriate Philippine cultural artifacts. The film is a reminder that much of Southeast Asia’s artistic heritage remains kept abroad due to war, colonialism, and weak archival systems of the past.
Deocampo emphasized, “We must reclaim our stories—not just from the rubble of war, but from the vaults of history.”
Plans are now underway for the film’s digital restoration. Cultural institutions in Manila are preparing a special screening and public discussion, which will also commemorate the film’s 90th anniversary next year.
