# Bulaklak sa City Jail

Bulaklak sa City Jail (English: The Flowers of the City Jail) is a 1984 Filipino neo noir crime prison drama film directed by Mario O'Hara from a story and screenplay written by Lualhati Bautista, based on her novel of the same name. Starring Nora Aunor, Gina Alajar, Celia Rodriguez, Perla Bautista, Maya Valdez, Zenaida Amador, and Maritess Gutierrez, the film depicts the situation of women in the city jail.
Produced by Cherubim Films, the film was theatrically released on December 25, 1984, as one of the official entries for the 10th Metro Manila Film Festival. In 2019, it was digitally restored and remastered by ABS-CBN Film Restoration, in association with Kantana Thailand and Wildsound Studios.

## Plot

Angela Aguilar, a nightclub singer, was sent to the women's section of the Manila City Jail for the crime of frustrated murder. She shares the cell with her fellow cellmates including Juliet, Lena, Viring, and Barbie. One day, the female inmates witness the riot in the men's sector and the warden's forced taking of Viring's daughter Sarah. The following day, Atty. Diaz became Angela's lawyer and advised her to confess the crime she committed to end the case. She pleaded not guilty and her case continues.

## Cast

* Nora Aunor as Angela Aguilar, a nightclub singer who was charged with frustrated murder
* Gina Alajar as Juliet Navarete, Angela's cellmate who was charged with estafa and has a son
* Celia Rodriguez as Lena, a prostitute
* Perla Bautista as Viring, a woman who was imprisoned for killing her husband
* Maya Valdez as Barbie Berenguer, the prison overseer who was charged with arson
* Zenaida Amador as Tonya, the prison mayor who was charged with kidnapping
* Maritess Gutierrez as Patricia
* Gloria Romero as Patricia's mother
* Ricky Davao as Crisanto
* German Moreno as Warden Ambrocio
* Bella Flores as Olga Bella, a prison warden who receives bribes from the inmates
* Shyr Valdez as Yolly
* Tom Olivar as Paquito, a cowboy hat-wearing prison guard with evil intentions
* Augusto Victa as Warden Esteban
* Alvin Enriquez as Juliet's son
* Toby Alejar as Mike
* Gigette Reyes as Adela, Crisanto's wife
* Mandy Bustamante as Leon
* Romy Nario as Totoy
* Carmen Enriquez as Atty. Jacob
* Cris Daluz as Atty. Diaz
* Sarah Gayotin as Viring's daughter
* Edwin O'Hara as Fr. Eusebio

## Production staff

* Director: Mario O'Hara
* Producer: Archie and Cherry Cobarubbias
* Writer: Lualhati Bautista (story and screenplay)
* Production Designer: Tony Aguilar
* Art Director: Jon Jon Portugal
* Assistant Director: Ricardo B. De Guzman and Jon Jon Portugal
* Sound Effects: Rodel Capule
* Sound Mixer: Vic Macamay
* Music: Tony Aguilar
* Film Editor: Efren Jarlego
* Cinematographer: Johnny Araojo
* Post-Production Facilities: Magnatech Omni
* Color Processing: LVN Pictures
* Production-in-Charge: Pearl Valdez
* Production Managers: Maritess Gutierrez and Andy Biag

## Release

Cherubim Films released the film on December 25, 1984, and it is one of the following entries for the 10th Metro Manila Film Festival. It won six awards including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director.

### Digital restoration

The restored version of the film was premiered on November 11, 2019, at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City as part of the Cinema One Originals film festival. It was attended by the film's surviving cast and staff members: actors Ricky Davao and Tom Olivar, film producer Cherry Cobarubbias, and former actress and now chef Maritess Gutierrez (she also represented her mother Gloria Romero) as well as the staff and crew of the ABS-CBN Film Archives and the channel head of Cinema One, Ronald Arguelles. Actress Pinky Amador (niece of the late Zenaida Amador, who died in 2008), actress-producer Ruby Flores-Arcilla (daughter of Bella Flores, who died in 2013), and director Denise O'Hara (niece of Mario O'Hara, who died in 2012) also attended the premiere as the representatives of the cast and staff members who were deceased or unable to attend.

## Reception
### Critical reception

Engelbert Rafferty, writing for Film Police Reviews, called the film a "classic" and praised the screenplay written by Lualhati Bautista, which she made alive and fascinated the viewers and the dramatic performances of the cast, particularly Nora Aunor for playing the character who was described as "a woman maltreated by society".

### Awards and recognition

| Year | Group | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Picture | Bulaklak sa City Jail | Won |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Director | Mario O'Hara | Won |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Won |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Supporting Actor | Tom Olivar | Won |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Celia Rodriguez | Won |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Lualhati Bautista | Won |
| 1984 | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Story | Lualhati Bautista | Won |
| 1985 | 33rd FAMAS Awards | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Won |
| 1985 | 33rd FAMAS Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Perla Bautista | Won |
| 1985 | 33rd FAMAS Awards | Best Picture | | Nominated |
| 1985 | 33rd FAMAS Awards | Best Director | Mario O'Hara | Nominated |
| 1985 | 33rd FAMAS Awards | Best Screenplay | Lualhati Bautista | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Picture | | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Director | Mario O'Hara | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Supporting Actress | Perla Bautista | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Supporting Actress | Celia Rodriguez | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Screenplay | Lualhati Bautista | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Editing | Efren Jarlego | Nominated |
| 1985 | Gawad Urian Awards (Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) | Best Production Design | Tony Aguilar | Nominated |
| 1985 | Film Academy of the Philippines (Luna Awards) | Best Story Adaptation | Luhalhati Bautista | Won |
| 1985 | Film Academy of the Philippines (Luna Awards) | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Nominated |
| 1985 | Catholic Mass Media Awards | Best Actress | Nora Aunor | Won |