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RICKY LEE

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts

The Most Awarded Scriptwriter in the Philippines

Ricky Lee, National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, is the most-awarded scriptwriter in the Philippines. He has written more than 180 produced film scripts, earning him more than 90 trophies from award-giving bodies, including life achievement awards. He is also the recipient of 2015 UP Gawad Plaridel, as well as one of the Gawad CCP awardees for 2015. 

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Among Ricky’s films are Himala, Anak, Jose Rizal, Muru-Ami, Karnal, Nasaan Ka Man, and Moral. Himala won the CNN Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of All Time in 2011.

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"Hindi ako matahimik kapag hindi ako nakakapagsulat."

Ricky is the author of the scriptwriting manual, Trip to Quiapo, which is both a bestseller and a required text in communication courses in the Philippines.

 

Ricky wrote four best-selling novels: Lahat ng B, Para Kay B (O Kung Paano Dinevastate ng Pag-ibig ang 4 Out of 5 sa Atin); Si Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata; and Bahay ni Marta. He also co-wrote the libretto and lyrics of Himala: Isang Musikal, which won 8 Gawad Buhay Awards in 2022. 

 

After working for ABS-CBN for more than twenty years, he now works in GMA as a Creative Consultant, handling primetime shows like Maria Clara at Ibarra, First Lady, Start-Up, and others. He was also a creative consultant for Star Cinema for more than a decade.

 

Since 1982, Ricky has been conducting free scriptwriting workshops for beginning writers, producing hundreds of graduates like Lav Diaz, Quark Henarres, Jeffrey Jeturian, and many more who now work for TV and film.

BOOKS

  • BRUTAL/SALOME. First book of screenplays in the Philippines. 1981.

  • MORAL. Screenplay. 1982.

  • BUKAS MAY PANGARAP. Screenplay. 1984.

  • SI TATANG AT MGA HIMALA NG ATING PANAHON. Anthology of Fiction, Essays, and  the Screenplay of Himala. 1989.

  • PITIK-BULAG SA BUWAN NG PEBRERO. Play. 1989.

  • SALOME: ENGLISH TRANSLATION. Published by the University of Wisconsin, U.S.A. 1993.

  • RIZAL: THE SCREENPLAY. 1998.

  • TRIP TO QUIAPO: SCRIPTWRITING MANUAL ni Ricky Lee. 1998.

  • PARA KAY B (o kung paano dinevastate ng pag-ibig ang 4 out of 5 sa atin). Novel. 2008. 

  • SI TATANG AT MGA HIMALA NG ATING PANAHON (Special Edition). 2009.

  • SI AMAPOLA SA 65 NA KABANATA. Novel. 2011.

  • SA PUSO NG HIMALA. 2012.

  • Kung Alam N'yo Lang: MGA KUWENTONG PAMBATA PARA SA MGA HINDI NA BATA. 2016.

  • BAHAY NI MARTA. Novel. 2018.

  • RICKY LEE FILM SCRIPTWRITING WORKBOOK. 2019.

  • KULANG NA SILYA. 2020.

  • SERVANDO MAGDAMAG AT IBA PANG MAIKLING KUWENTO. 2021.

  • SI AMAPOLA. Graphic Novel Adaptation by Manix Abrera. 2021.

  • MGA SCREENPLAY NI RICKY LEE VOL 1: BRUTAL, MORAL, KARNAL. 2022.

  • MGA SCREENPLAY NI RICKY LEE VOL 2: HIMALA, CAIN AT ABEL, SALOME. 2022.

  • LAHAT NG B. 2022.

PLAYS

  • PITIK-BULAG SA BUWAN NG PEBRERO. MANILA FILM CENTER. JUN 23-25. 1989.

  • BALISAWSAW, PUSONG LIGAW. 1989.

  • DH (Domestic Helper). For PETA. 1992. 

  • NOLI ME TANGERE. DULAANG UP. 1992. 

  • PENIS TALKS/ALL ABOUT MEN 1. 2004. 

  • HIMALA THE MUSICALE. 2004. Libretto and co-lyrics. 

  • PENIS TALKS/ALL ABOUT MEN 2. 2005. 

  • KABESANG TALES: ISANG RAP EN ROLL MUSICAL. 2015. 

  • BINONDO: TSINOY MUSICAL (co-written with Gershom Chua and Eljay Deldoc). 2018. 

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

  • GAWAD BALAGTAS. 1983. Surian ng Wikang Pambansa for Outstanding Contribution to Literature and Cinema. 

  • KALINANGAN AWARDEE. Diwa ng Lahi Cultural Award for Cinema, 418th Anniversary of the City of Manila. 1989.

  • GAWAD NG QUEZON CITY. 1995. Outstanding Citizen of Quezon City in the field of film and literature.

  • ONE OF 100 CENTENNIAL AWARDEES, Cultural Center of the Philippines. 1998.

  • CINEMANILA INTERNATIONAL LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. 2000.

  • GAWAD BALAGTAS YEAR. 2000. Umpil (Writers Organization).

  • JOSE RIZAL AWARDS. 2002. In the field of Arts and Culture.

  • NATATANGING GAWAD URIAN LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. 2003.

  • NATATANGING GAWAD NG SINING AT KULTURA, Ateneo de Manila. 2005.

  • ULIRANG ARTISTA SA LIKOD NG KAMERA, PMPC. 2014.

  • UP GAWAD PLARIDEL FOR FILM. 2015.

  • GAWAD CCP SA SINING (PARA SA LITERATURE). 2015.

  • GAWAD DIREK. 2015.

  • ICONIC AWARD. Perpetual Help. 2015.

  • INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MANHATTAN. 2016.

  • FDCP FILM AMBASSADOR. 2017.

  • ANI NG DANGAL. 2017.

  • WOW (WALK ON WATER). 2018.

  • DANGAL NI BALAGTAS. 2018.

  • CINEMALENTE. 2018.

  • APOLINARIO MABINI MEDIA AWARDS PUP. 2018.

  • MMFF HALL OF FAME. 2019.

  • CAMERA OBSCURA ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AWARD FROM THE FDCP. 2020.

  • GAWAD LAUREL. 2020.

  • FAMAS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. 2020.

  • ICON. EDDYS AWARD. 2021.

  • NATIONAL ARTIST FOR FILM AND BROADCAST ARTS. 2022.

  • FAMAS. NATATANGING ALAGAD NG SINING. 2022.

  • FILIPINO-CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY INC LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. 2022.

  • NATATANGING PROGRESIBO NG 2022. Pinoy Weekly. Org.

  • WALK OF FAME. 2023.

  • LYCEUM NATATANGING AWARD. 2023.

  • UP DUYAN NG MAGITING. 2023.

LITERARY AWARDS

  • PALANCA MEMORIAL AWARDS FOR LITERTURE, Short Story, First Prize, H'wag, H'wag Mong Kukuwentuhan ang Batang si Wei-fung. 1969.

  • PILIPINO FREE PRESS, First and Third Prize, annual literary awards. H'wag, H'wag Mong Kukuwentuhan ang Batang si Wei-fung; and Pagtatapos. 1969.

  • PALANCA MEMORIAL AWARDS FOR LITERATURE, Short Story, First Prize, Servando Magdamag. 1970.

  • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD, Manila Critics Circle. 1982. Brutal/Salome.

  • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD. Si Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata. 2012.

FILM AWARDS

BEST STORY

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  • HIMALA. Metro Manila Film Festival Awards. 1982.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? Metro Manila Film Festival. 1990.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? FAMAS Awards. 1990.

  • ANG TOTOONG BUHAY NI PACITA M. Metro Manila Film Festival. 1991.

  • DAHIL MAHAL KITA (THE DOLZURA CORTEZ STORY). Manila Film Festival. 1993.

  • MULING UMAWIT ANG PUSO. Metro Manila Film Festival Awards. 1995.

  • RIZAL (co-writer). Metro Manila Film Festival, 1998.

  • MURU-AMI. Metro Manila Film Festival Awards. 1999.

  • MURU-AMI (co-writer). PASADO Awards. 2000.

  • NASAAN KA MAN (co-writer). FAMAS Awards. 2006.

  • HUSTISYA. PASADO. 2015.

  • THE TRIAL (co-writer). FAMAS Awards. 2015.

 

BEST SCREENPLAY

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  • JAGUAR (with Jose F. Lacaba). Urian Awards. 1980.

  • SALOME. Urian Awards. 1981.

  • HIMALA. Catholic Mass Media Awards. 1982.

  • MORAL. Metro Manila Film Festival Awards. 1982.

  • PRIVATE SHOW. Star Awards. 1986.

  • PAANO KUNG WALA KA NA. Star Awards. 1987.

  • OLONGAPO, THE GREAT AMERICAN DREAM. Metro Manila Film Festival. 1987.

  • SANDAKOT NA BALA (with Jose Carreon). Star Awards. 1988.

  • SANDAKOT NA BALA (with Jose Carreon). Catholic Mass Media Awards. 1988.

  • MACHO DANCER. Star Awards. 1989.

  • ANG BUKAS AY AKIN (Adaptation). Star Awards. 1989.

  • GUMAPANG KA SA LUSAK. Urian. 1990.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? Metro Manila Film Festival. 1990.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? Star Awards. 1990.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? FAMAS Award. 1990.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? Film Academy of the Philippines. 1990.

  • ANDREA, PAANO BA ANG MAGING ISANG INA? Young Critics Circle. 1990.

  • HAHAMAKIN LAHAT. Young Critics Circle. 1990.

  • ANG TOTOONG BUHAY NI PACITA M. Metro Manila Film Festival. 1991.

  • ANG TOTOONG BUHAY NI PACITA M. Kritika. 1991.

  • HUWAG MONG SALINGIN ANG SUGAT. Kritika. 1991.

  • ANG LALAKI SA SALAMIN EPISODE IN TAKBO, TALON, TILI. Metro Manila Film Festival. 1992.

  • DAHIL MAHAL KITA (THE DOLZURA CORTEZ STORY). Manila Film Festival. 1993.

  • PANGAKO NG KAHAPON. Star Awards. 1994.

  • MULING UMAWIT ANG PUSO. Metro Manila Film Festival Awards. 1995.

  • MAY NAGMAMAHAL SA'YO. Star Awards. 1997.

  • RIZAL (co-writer). Best Screenplay, Metro Manila Film Festival. 1998.

  • RIZAL (co-writer). Best Adaptation. Star Awards. 1999.

  • RIZAL (co-writer). Best Screenplay. FAMAS Awards. 1999.

  • MURU-AMI (co-writer). Best Screenplay. Metro Manila Film Festival Awards. 1999.

  • MURU-AMI (co-writer). Best Screenplay. PASADO Awards. 2000.

  • BULAKLAK NG MAYNILA. Best Adapted Screenplay. Star Awards. 2000.

  • BULAKLAK NG MAYNILA. Best Screenplay. Philippine Academy of the Philippines. 2000.

  • MURU-AMI. Guillermo de Vega Box Office Writer. 2000.

  • ANAK. Best Screenplay. Film Academy of the Philippines. 2001.

  • BAGONG BUWAN. Best Screenplay. Pasado Film Awards. 2002.

  • DUBAI. Best Screenplay. Maria Clara Awards. 2006.

  • NASAAN KA MAN (co-writer). Best Screenplay. FAMAS AWARDS. 2006.

  • HIMALA. PASADO AWARDS. Pinakapasadong Manunulat sa lahat ng Panahon.

  • HIMALA. Star Awards for Best Screenplay of all Time. 2009.

  • LAURIANA. Gawad Tanglaw. 2014.

  • LAURIANA. PASADO Awards. 2014.

  • THE TRIAL. (co-writer). FAMAS AWARDS. 2015.

  • RINGGO THE DOG SHOOTER. Best Screenplay. Film Development Council of the Philippines. 2016.

  • TAGPUAN. Best Screenplay. Pasado. 2021.

  • TAGPUAN. Indie Movie Screenwriter of the Year. PMPC Star Awards for Movies. 2022.

TV AWARDS

  • BEST STORY: MELINDA. Bahaghari Awards for Telecine, GMA 7. 1996.

  • BEST TELEPLAY. MELINDA. Bahaghari Awards for Telecine, GMA 7. 1996.

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