MANILA — National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee is releasing a new scriptwriting manual, "Quiapo Ilalim: Pagsusulat ng Iba't Ibang Daan," more than two decades after his influential book "Trip to Quiapo."
The new book, published by the Film Academy of the Philippines in partnership with Ricky Lee Writing Services, draws from Lee's recent scriptwriting workshops, lectures and experiences teaching aspiring filmmakers and writers.
Pre-orders will run until August 14, when the book will officially launch during the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival at Cinema 3 of Red Carpet Cinemas in Shangri-La Plaza, where physical copies will first be made available.
In a social media announcement on Saturday, Lee described "Quiapo Ilalim" as a continuation of "Trip to Quiapo," inviting writers to discover new approaches to storytelling.
“Kung ang pagsusulat ay rewriting, gano’n din ang pagtuturo nito," Lee wrote in an excerpt from the book. “Hindi natatapos sa isang draft. Pareto silang proseso, hindi destinasyon.”
He added that the book is intended for aspiring writers, seasoned storytellers, those who have stopped writing and those who never want to stop.
First published in 1998, "Trip to Quiapo" has become one of the country's most widely used scriptwriting references, adopted in film schools, universities and workshops across the Philippines. It has guided generations of screenwriters and filmmakers through the fundamentals of storytelling and screenwriting.
Lee is regarded as one of the country's most influential screenwriters, with credits that include acclaimed films such as “Himala,” “Moral,” “Salome,” and “Karnal.” He was proclaimed National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022.
The 22nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival runs from August 6 to 18 at Red Carpet Cinemas in Shangri-La Plaza, with screenings also scheduled at Gateway Cineplex and selected Ayala Malls.