MANILA, Philippines?It?s great that veteran actress Rosa Rosal is being honored with a retrospective of her best film performances at Robinsons IndieSine, leading off with ?Anak Dalita? and including her other memorable portrayals in her standout starrers.

We trust that the retrospective screenings will remind local film buffs of Rosa?s exceptional gift for acting, which has been showcased for decades in some of the best Filipino motion pictures ever made. I?ve been a fan of Ms Rosal for many years, having seen most of her best movies, from the seminal ?Anak Dalita,? through ?Badjao? and ?Biyaya ng Lupa,? to ?Sakada.?

Postwar movie

?Anak Dalita? was a memorable viewing experience for me, because the postwar movie was shot in the ruins of a gutted church that spoke volumes about the trauma of war?and the resilience of some of its victims, represented by the tough-as-nails characters played by Rosa and Tony Santos Sr.

Rosa?s depiction of a loud and sassy play-for-pay girl made an indelible impression on viewers with its compelling combination of toughness and vulnerability.

?Anak Dalita? was directed by the Lamberto V. Avellana, who obviously liked working with Rosa, because he went on to direct her again in other award-winning films, like ?Badjao.?

In ?Badjao,? Rosa demonstrated her versatility by playing an ethnic character, for a change. Given her famous mestiza looks, that was quite a challenge, but the determined thespian was able to pull it off.

Rosa scored another thespic hit in Manuel Silos? ?Biyaya ng Lupa,? where she aged from young bride to old matriarch as the film told its hauntingly iconic story of a farming family whose joys and travails were closely associated with the piece of land it tilled.

Farm workers

Finally, in Behn Cervantes? ?Sakada,? Rosa came up with one of her most intense and powerful performances, and spoke for all of the oppressed farm workers who lived less than human lives under their casually cruel landlords? yoke.

In all of her portrayals in her retrospective, Rosa comes through as an intense, informed, versatile and committed performer, one of the best we?ve ever had.

At 77, she has other great performances left in her, so we trust that producers and directors will take their cue from the ?evidence? supplied by her retrospective to once again make full use of her well-honed thespic prowess and sensibility. Rosa Rosal is the movie industry?s gift that should keep on giving!