# Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita

Aishite Imasu 1941 (Mahal Kita) is a 2004 Philippine romantic war drama film directed by Joel C. Lamangan from a story co-written with Ricky Lee, who solely made it into a screenplay. Starring Judy Ann Santos, Raymart Santiago, Jay Manalo, and Dennis Trillo, the film is a story of love, betrayal, and honour in wartime, set in the Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1941–1945) during World War II.
A co-production of Regal Films and BAS Films, the film was theatrically released on December 25, 2004, as an entry for the 30th Metro Manila Film Festival.

## Plot

In the town of San Nicolas, Inya is newly married to her childhood sweetheart Edilberto and is excited about starting a new family. Ignacio "Igna" Basa is Inya's best friend, a transgender woman who has been in love with Edilberto for years. However, their lives are interrupted by the start of the Pacific War in 1941 and the Japanese invasion.
At the start of the Japanese occupation, Edilberto becomes a guerilla leader in San Nicolas and takes the nom de guerre Berto. Ignacio becomes the movement's spy inside the Japanese forces. At the same time, he falls for Ichiru Hamaguchi, a Japanese Army official who returns her affection. Anytime Berto attacks a Japanese patrol, the latter burns a village and executes suspected guerrilla members under the direction of Maura, a collaborator. Inya is also suspected as a Japanese spy and tortured by the guerrillas. She later reveals Ignacio's secret to a Japanese officer, Hiroshi, who in turn tells his superior Ichiru. Ichiru refuses to believe until he suffers a nightmare of holding his father's blood in front of the Americans. He tries to make love with Igna, but the latter refuses. Ichiru reveals that he knows Igna is transgender and he does not care as long as he loves Igna.
A few years later, local guerrilla forces are led by Inya, who replaces Berto in 1943 after he is killed in action. The Japanese retaliate with brutality, hanging the mayor and others. As Igna returns to camp after warning Inya of a raid, she is caught along with Ichiru by Maura and Hiroshi. Igna is beaten but later escapes with the help of Ichiru and a sympathetic colleague, Akihiro. Sheltering at a house, Akihiro and Ichiru commit seppuku. Igna again is arrested by Maura and Hiroshi and is tortured. Inya then raids the town hall and rescues Igna, while eliminating the Japanese garrison at the cost of several guerrillas. But as Inya and Igna escape, Maura and Japanese reinforcements arrive and shoot Inya. However, she is shielded by Igna, who dies instead, whereupon Inya's men open fire on Maura's vehicle, killing her and the Japanese.
Decades later, an elderly Inya tells the truth about what happened during the war. As the mayor and a historian discuss future plans, including a memorial for the victims, she leaves.

## Cast

* Judy Ann Santos as Virginia "Inya/Commander Berto" M. Marasingan-Manalang
* Raymart Santiago as Edilberto "Commander Berto" C. Manalang
* Jay Manalo as Ichiru Hamaguchi
* Dennis Trillo as Ignacio "Igna" Basa
* Marco Alcaraz as Akihiro Yorokobe
* Angelu de Leon as Maura
* Jacklyn Jose as Tiya Melba
* Yasmien Kurdi as Senyang
* Anita Linda as Inya (old)
* T.J. Trinidad as Antonio
* Iya Villania as Julia
* Tony Mabesa as Mayor Aldecoa
* Domingo Landicho as Assistant of the Mayor
* Menggie Cobarrubias as Panotes
* Jim Pebanco as Edna
* Neil Ryan Sese as Hiroshi
* Mon Confiado as Alexander
* Gilleth Sandico as Edilberto's sister
* Tom Olivar as Edilberto's father
* Edna May Landicho as Edilberto's mother
* Kokoy Palma as Dinglasan
* Archie Adamos as Igna's father
* Virginia Joshen

## Production
### Writing

The film's story and screenplay are inspired by the wartime experiences of the townmate of director Joel Lamangan. Ricky Lee, who co-wrote the story with Lamangan, took three days to write the screenplay. He revealed to the public that the project was rejected for five to seven years by various producers until Regal Films founder-executive producer Lily Y. Monteverde approved it and then, gave a green light.

### Casting

The film marks the first time where Judy Ann Santos and Raymart Santiago acted together despite they are from different networks and film studios at the time, with Santos being an exclusive TV talent of ABS-CBN and did film projects for Star Cinema and Regal and Santiago being an exclusive talent of GMA Network and Viva Films.

## Awards

| Year | Organization | Category | Name of Recipient |
| 2005 | Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences | Best Supporting Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences | Best Production Design | Joey Luna |
| 2005 | Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences | Best Sound | Ramon Reyes |
| 2005 | Film Academy Of The Philippines | Best Picture | Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions |
| 2005 | Film Academy Of The Philippines | Best Director | Joel Lamangan |
| 2005 | Film Academy Of The Philippines | Best Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | Film Academy Of The Philippines | Best Supporting Actor | Jay Manalo |
| 2005 | Film Academy Of The Philippines | Best Editing | Marya Ignacio |
| 2005 | Film Academy Of The Philippines | Best Production Design | Joey Luna |
| 2005 | Gawad Pasado | 3rd Best Picture | Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions |
| 2005 | Gawad Pasado | Best Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | Gawad Pasado | Best Supporting Actor | Jay Manalo |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best New Movie Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | ENPRESS Golden Screen | Breakthrough Performance by an Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | Gawad Tanglaw | Best Supporting Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | Young Critics Circle | Best Performance by Male or Female, Adult or Child, Individual or Ensemble in Leading or Supporting Role | Dennis Trillo |
| 2004 | Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines | 3rd Best Picture | Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions |
| 2004 | Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines | Best Supporting Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2004 | Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines | Most Gender Sensitive Film | Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions |

## Nominations

| Year | Organization | Category | Name of Recipient |
| 2005 | Filipino Academy of Arts and Sciences | Best Picture | Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita |
| 2005 | Filipino Academy of Arts and Sciences | Best Director | Joel Lamangan |
| 2005 | Filipino Academy of Arts and Sciences | Best Supporting Actress | Angelu de Leon |
| 2005 | Gawad Urian | Best Supporting Actor | Dennis Trillo |
| 2005 | Film Academy of the Philippines | Best Sound | |
| 2005 | Film Academy of the Philippines | Best Musical Scoring | |
| 2005 | Gawad Pasado | Best Actress | Judy Ann Santos |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Picture | Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Director | Joel Lamangan |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Actress | Judy Ann Santos |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Original Screenplay | |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Editor | |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Production Designer | |
| 2005 | PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Best Original Theme Song | |
| 2005 | ENPRESS Golden Screen | Best Sound | |
| 2005 | ENPRESS Golden Screen | Best Original Song | |
| 2004 | Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines | Best Actress | Judy Ann Santos |
| 2004 | Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines | Best Actor | Raymart Santiago |

## Themes

The film has been described as one of the "affirmative gay films" in the Philippine cinema production from the late 1990s-early 2000s.