Quezon’s Game: the Largely Forgotten True Story of Holocaust Heroism

According to R. G. Collingwood, “History is for human self-knowledge ... the only clue to what man can do is what man has done. The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus what man is.” On January 2020, we will have a chance to reflect on this with the North American screening of the film Quezon’s Game. 

How many know of the Filipino Oskar Schindler, who is no less than President Manuel L. Quezon? Director Matthew Rosen rectifies this through his feature film directorial debut Quezon’s Game, which premiered in May 2019 in the Philippines. Manuel Quezon was the President when the country was a Commonwealth under the United States’ jurisdiction. At a time when most countries were reluctant in assisting Jews who were being sent to death camps, Quezon worked to grant asylum in Manila despite various setbacks (his failing health due to tuberculosis, resistance from colleagues, Philippine-US politics), even housing them in his family property in Marikina. Although Quezon’s intent to rescue 10,000 Jews was abruptly curtailed by the Dec. 8, 1941 invasion and three-year occupation of the Philippines by the Japanese, he succeeded in welcoming more than 1,200 refugees.

Quezon’s Game director, Matthew Rosen, is a British national residing in the Philippines, and with Filipino wife Lorena Rosen, co-producer for the film. They first heard about Quezon’s efforts in 2009 from members of the Jewish Association of the Philippines. “I am a Jew who grew up in England and have experienced bigotry,” Matthew Rosen comments, “but after 37 years in the Philippines, to this day, I have never come across prejudice, dislike or distrust because I am White or Jewish. I’m Pinoy at heart and this was truly a passion project for me. The story behind Quezon’s Game remains a reflection of the Filipino people today, a warm and welcoming culture. In a time of war, when the rest of the world was in despair and apathetic, the Filipino people—who were suffering their own hardships—shed a light on justice and morality to lead others. Quezon fought a lonely battle for what was right up until his untimely death. The message of this amazing story, which was largely forgotten, is more important than ever in today’s growing climate of intolerance—and my wife, Lori, and I wanted to tell it. It’s my ‘thank you’ to the Philippines.”

The US/Canada theatrical rollout will mark the 75th anniversary on Jan. 27 of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazi’s most-notorious concentration camp.  Quezon’s Game stars Raymond Bagatsing as President Quezon, Rachel Alejandro as his wife Aurora, Kate Alejandrino as their daughter Baby, Billy Ray Gallion as the Jewish cigar maker Alex Frieder, James Paolelli as American diplomat Paul V. McNutt,  and David Bianco as future president Dwight D. Eisenhower who was then the chief aide to General Douglas MacArthur. 

The film is abundant in symbolism and intentional in honouring the people in this tragic moment in history. It’s theme song is performed by Shulem, a rising star of the Jewish music tradition, backed by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. The original soundtrack features songs composed by concentration camp prisoners, Karel Švenk and Z. Stryjecki, granted by the Terezín Music Foundation (TMF), a non-profit dedicated to amplifying the musical legacy of the artists imprisoned at the camp, where a group of prisoners composed and performed music that nourished spirits amidst the great suffering around them.

Quezon’s Game has garnered awards at international film festivals for acting, direction, cinematography, original score, lighting, screenplay and design. It is critically acclaimed: “...the scope and enormity of Schindler’s List ... Quezon’s Game delivers the same powerful message against racism, bigotry and discrimination … a very compelling and deeply moving film …” - Esquire Philippines; “the story of Quezon’s Game is nothing short of magnificent.” - Business Mirror; “Gripping performances …” - ScreenRaven.

"The difference between Schindler's List and Quezon's Game is that the former studies the horrors of war and you feel broken about humanity when you leave the theatre, while the latter is about hope and the humaneness of the Filipino people. When you watch Quezon's Game, you'll feel proud as a Filipino," Matthew explained.

When you watch Quezon’s Game, make sure you don’t miss the closing credits which is accompanied by testimonials of now-elderly survivors who emigrated to the Philippines as children, Max Heintz Weissler, Lotte Cassel Hershfield, Margot Pins Kestenbaum, and Margot’s son, Danny Pins, recalling the events that reshaped their lives.

In recognition of Quezon’s moral courage and the consequent deep ties between Israel and the Philippines, Israel instituted an open-door policy with the country, permitting visa-free visitation by Filipino tourists. In 2009, an Open Door monument was erected in Tel Aviv in commemoration of this act of humanity. Today, the Jewish diaspora in the Philippines remains a vibrant and welcoming community, with the descendants of refugees rescued by Quezon numbering around 8,000, according to a 2017 estimate by the Israeli Embassy.

This is the kind of story we need In today’s climate of tenuous, intolerant and cynical humanity and politics. That we be inspired by this story of doing what is right despite astronomical obstacles, of an act so selfless and remarkable, yet makes one ask to his dying day, “Could I have done more?”. Quezon’s Game then is a study of not only history, but of benevolence.

Quezon’s Game is a Star Cinema/ABS-CBN Film Productions production in association with iWant and Kinetek. For further details on the US/Canada screenings, visit quezonsgame.com.


* This article was published in the December 2019 issue of the Alberta Filipino Journal.

History through Film

Lino Brocka's Ora Pro Nobis

The month of September marks two events that our generation remembers well - the 9/11 tragedy, and the declaration of martial law by Ferdinand Marcos.  On these dates, there were widespread media focus to ensure that the ideals, the heroes, significances and consequences are not forgotten by this and future generations.  

Artists derive inspiration from their world - their reality.  In turn, they become a voice, in advocating and recording snippets of history.  Film is one such medium that has been widely utilized both for its value for entertainment and propaganda.  Here, we recall some of the landmark works in Philippine cinema, significant for their artistic and historical merits.

The first movie made by a Filipino is Jose Nepomuceno’s Dalagang Bukid in 1919, based on  the highly acclaimed musical/zarzuela of the same title by Hermogenes Ilagan and Leon Ignacio and starring Atang de la Rama.  During the war, more films of sociopolitical and historical nature abound, some even garnering awards and making the circuit of international film festivals.  Examples of these are: Lamberto Avellana’s Anak Dalita (Child of Sorrow, 1956), which focused on the stark tragedy of post-World War II survival set in Intramuros; and Gerardo de Leon’s Ifugao (1954).  Other notable films of this time too are: Guerilyera (1946), starring Carmen Rosales and Cesar Baltazar, a film about the guerilla movement during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines; Death March (1946), a portrayal of the Bataan Death March, directed by Lamberto Avellana and starred Leopoldo Salcedo, Norma Blancaflor.

Chito Rono's Dekada '70

With the resurgence of film companies like Sampaguita Pictures, LVN and Premiere Productions, came a new beginning for an era of love themes, musicals and romance.  But there were also more films that extolled the virtues of heroism, patriotism, struggle and sacrifice as a consequence of Philippine political events and issues like colonization, martial law, power abuse, etc.  Some films brought issues to the social consciousness, issues that were difficult to face and accept.  Some of these are: 

Marilou Diaz-Abaya's Jose Rizal

Mike de Leon's Sister Stella L

• Gerardo de Leon’s film adaptations of Jose Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tangere (1961) and El Filibusterismo (1962).
• Eddie Romero’s Manila, Open City (1968), set during the Japanese occupation, depicts the fate of a Filipino who, after collaborating with the Japanese, switches allegiance to the Americans.
• Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon (1976), follows the struggle of a country from the Philippine revolution to the Phil-American war, through the eyes of a country boy portrayed by Christopher de Leon, in parallel to his search for his own identity.
• Eddie Romero’s Aguila (1979), an epic movie chronicling the highlights of Philippine history from the 1896 revolution to militant student activities in the ‘70s.  It starred Fernando Poe Jr. and Christopher de Leon.
• Celso Ad. Castillo’s Ang Alamat ni Julian Makabayan (1979), starring Christopher de Leon focuses on agrarian unrest and feudal oppression.
• Mike de Leon’s Sister Stella L (1984), starring Vilma Santos, is the director’s response to the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, through the story of a nun who gets involved in labour strikes and confronted with issues of labor, politics and religion.  It also raised an argument about the separation of church and state in the country.
• Lino Brocka’s Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (1985), a film that focuses on inherent corruption in government, pre-martial law era.  It caused a furor when it was smuggled for showing at the Cannes Film Festival, consequently banned in the Philippines and caused Lino Brocka’s arrest.  It had Phillip Salvador and Gina Alajar as actors.
• Lino Brocka’s Orapronobis (1989) depicts the human rights abuses during the ‘80s, starring Phillip Salvador and Dina Bonnevie.  It was highly controversial and was banned for a time by then President Corazon Aquino.
• Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s Jose Rizal (1998), a biographical film on national hero Jose Rizal starring Cesar Montano.  The film was screened in several prestigious international film festivals and is credited with re-introducing the hero to a new generation.
• Chito Roño’s Dekada ’70 (2002), starring Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon, centres around a family affected by the political turmoil that set the declaration of martial law.   It is based on a novel with the same title by Lualhati Bautista.
• Raya Martin’s Independencia (2009) set in the early 20th century, it comments on how the Philippines evolved as a colony of the US, instead of being an independent country.  It features actors Tetchie Agbayani, Sid Lucero, and Alessandra de Rossi.

Raya Martin's Independencia

These are just a few examples of a long list of films.  They may have entertained and diverted us, brought us to a time different from our own reality, confronted us with philosophies and challenged our own thinking and have preserved snippets of our heritage and immortalized the stories for next generations.  It is my personal hope that you have viewed some of these films or will encourage you to watch these films and research further in our history.

* This was written for and published in the Pinoy Living October 2012 issue.