Zamboanga-a Classic Tausug-language film we almost failed to see

I was part of the audience who witnessed the initial showing of  the film, "Zamboanga" as part of the Zamboanga film festival. I only read about the film fest a few hours before from a local newspaper. I dropped scheduled tasks for the morning since in a few hours it is slated to be shown in a local movie house.

I read about "Zamboanga" several years ago. It was Mr. Nick De Ocampo a Filipino movie columnist who stumbled upon this rare Filipino pre-war film while doing some research at the Library of Congress. Apparently, it was one of the six well preserved Filipino pre-war films. It was the earliest among the six films, which was done as early as 1936, and was shown locally in 1937. The film was directed by a Fil-american director and it starred the young Fernando Poe Sr. and Rosario.

I reached the movie house and found a long queue of high school students raring to see the film. It was a surprise to see a Tausug speaking film. I thought its all about Zamboanga. But it turned out to be a film depicting the then beautiful,and exotic island of Jolo. In its black and white photographs with slightly hissing sounds as a result of age. Some outstanding underwater photography were noted which was probably the first of its kind at that time.