Filmmaker Mike De Leon dies at 78
MANILA, Philippines — Renowned filmmaker Mike De Leon, known for his thought-provoking and socially relevant films, has died. He was 78.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) posted about his passing on its Facebook page earlier today.
“Today, August 28, 2025 the FDCP joins the entire film industry in mourning the passing of visionary filmmmaker Mike De Leon. He was the genius behind generation-defining cinematic classics ‘Itim’ (1976), ‘Kisapmata’ (1981), ‘Batch '81’ (1982), ‘Sister Stella L’ (1984) and ‘Citizen Jake’ (2018),” the film guild wrote on its caption.
It added a quote from its chair, Jose Javier Reyes, who remarked that De Leon’s life was dedicated to film.
“Mike De Leon shone a light on the beauty and pain of the downtrodden and repressed, bringing their stories to the cultural forefront. May he rest in peace,” it added.
De Leon was born on March 24, 1947 in Manila. He is the grandson of LVN Studios matriarch Narcisa “Sisa” de Leon. He went to Ateneo de Manila University for his bachelor’s degree before going to the University of Heidelberg in Germany.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines awarded De Leon the Centennial Honors for the Arts.
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