Mike de Leon. Image: Facebook/CarlottaFilms
Mike de Leon, an award-winning director celebrated for his thought-provoking filmography with themes of social justice, has died, his family confirmed. He was 78 years old.
De Leon’s death was confirmed by his family to French film distributor Carlotta Films on Thursday, August 28. The cause of his death was not disclosed.
Meanwhile, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) mourns de Leon’s death on its Facebook page, noting his dedication to Philippine cinema.
“Today, August 28, 2025, the FDCP joins the entire film industry in mourning the passing of visionary filmmaker 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 post read.
“‘[His] life was dedicated to film. His consistent imagination to explore the language of cinema shaped what we understand of Philippine filmmaking today…” FDCP Chairman Jose Javier Reyes said on De Leon’s passing. “Mike De Leon shone a light on the beauty and pain of the downtrodden and repressed, bringing their stories to the cultural forefront,” it added.
On Facebook, the French film distributor remembered De Leon’s glittering career, his filmography, and their meetings that were held in Manila and Baguio.
“We learned the death of Mike de Leon from his relatives while we’re in the middle of the Venice Festival. We first discovered Mike De Leon at Venice Classics about 10 years ago,” the film distributor said in French.
“Since the Venice Biennale, he has worked on a lot of films, and there were many emails and meetings in Manila and Baguio… and now, he is no more. He is the last of the New Wave of Philippine Cinema in the 1970s. It’s so sad. Rest in peace, Mike,” the post read.
Muse
Actress-producer Charo Santos, formerly the CEO of ABS-CBN who de Leon considered to be one of his muses, paid tribute to the filmmaker with whom she made a number of critically acclaimed films, among them “Itim,” “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” and “Kisapmata.”
“Paalam, Mike. Maraming salamat,” said Santos on Instagram, posting an old photo of the late director behind a camera.
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@charosantos
With “Sister Stella L,” “Batch ‘81,” “Kisapmata,” “Itim,” and “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” as his most beloved films, de Leon established himself as a filmmaker with a body of work that dabbles with political issues and social commentary. According to the Museum of Modern Art, he is a filmmaker known for being one of the most “fiercely political and dramatic storytellers.”
He started his career creating short films and also served as the producer of Lino Brocka’s “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag” and Cirio Santiago’s “Happy Days Are Here Again,” before making his directorial debut with “Itim” in 1976. He also worked as a writer and cinematographer.
De Leon was active in the film industry until 2001, when he served as the producer for “Motorsiklo.” He went on to go on a hiatus until making his final comeback as the director of “Citizen Jake” in 2018. /edv
