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Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Directed by	Joel C. Lamangan
Screenplay by	Ricardo Lee
Story by	Ricardo Lee; Joel C. Lamangan;
Produced by	Roselle Monteverde-Teo
Starring	Judy Ann Santos; Raymart Santiago; Dennis Trillo; Jay Manalo;
Cinematography	Rolly Manuel
Edited by	Marya Ignacio
Music by	Von de Guzman
Production; company	BAS Films
Distributed by	Regal Films; Toho;
Release date	December 25, 2004;
Running time	106 minutes
Languages	Filipino; Japanese; English;
Budget	₱75 million
Box office	₱26.3 million

Aishite Imasu 1941 (Mahal Kita)^[a] 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.^[1] 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.^[1]

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.^[2]

Awards

Year	Organization	Category	Name of Recipient
2005	Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences	Best Supporting Actor	Dennis Trillo
		Best Production Design	Joey Luna
		Best Sound	Ramon Reyes
	Film Academy Of The Philippines	Best Picture	Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions
		Best Director	Joel Lamangan
		Best Actor	Dennis Trillo
		Best Supporting Actor	Jay Manalo
		Best Editing	Marya Ignacio
		Best Production Design	Joey Luna
	Gawad Pasado	3rd Best Picture	Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions
		Best Actor	Dennis Trillo
		Best Supporting Actor	Jay Manalo
	PMPC Star Awards for Movies	Best Actor	Dennis Trillo
	PMPC Star Awards for Movies	Best New Movie Actor	Dennis Trillo
	ENPRESS Golden Screen	Breakthrough Performance by an Actor	Dennis Trillo
	Gawad Tanglaw	Best Supporting Actor	Dennis Trillo
	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^[3]	3rd Best Picture	Regal Entertainment Inc. and BASFILM Productions
		Best Supporting Actor	Dennis Trillo
		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^[3]	Best Actress	Judy Ann Santos
2004	Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines^[3]	Best Actor	Raymart Santiago