José Nepomuceno and the creation of a Filipino national consciousness

The essay examines the contribution made by film director José Nepomuceno to the Philippine quest for independence and the raising of national consciousness. By portraying Filipino views, lives and traditions, Nepomuceno was instrumental in creating an imagined community in a colonial society, and his films were viewed by people from all social strata across the Islands and among different language groups. The films of Nepomuceno spread Tagalog language and culture, and gradually made Filipino national culture converge with Tagalog culture.