National Artist Ricky Lee to hold book signing at 2026 Philippine Book Festival March 13-14

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee will hold a two-day book signing at the upcoming 2026 Philippine Book Festival in Mandaluyong City. 

In a post on Instagram, Lee said the book signing will be held on these dates:

March 13: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Main Stage, Megatrade Hall B, Mandaluyong City

March 14: 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Lugar Lagdaan, Megatrade Hall B, Mandaluyong City

Throughout the festival, visitors can drop by the Ricky Lee PH booth to browse and purchase his books and merchandise, all offered at 10% off during the event.

Lee's books are also available online via Lazada and Shoppee.

'A SPECIAL MEMORY'

One of Lee's latest projects is the movie "A Special Memory," a romantic drama starring Bela Padilla and Carlo Aquino.

Written by Lee and directed by Jeffrey Lopez Sineneng, "A Special Memory" is set to hit cinemas on March 11.

The movie is the Philippine remake of the Japanese TV drama series "Pure Soul" about a young  married couple whose love was tested when the wife, only 30, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, a brain condition that affects a person's memory.

On Instagram, Lee said love "goes beyond pain, memories and time."

Lee admitted in an interview that he cried while watching the movie as if he hadn't written it.

PROLIFIC SCREENWRITER

Lee, also known as Ricardo Lee, was born on March 19, 1948 and will be turning 78 this year.

According to his bio on the National Commission for Culture and the Arts website, Lee was among the filmmakers who ushered in the "Second  Golden Age of Philippine Cinema" in the late 1970s.

The "First Golden Age of Philippine Cinema" came 20 years earlier in the 1950s with the commercial success of the country's Big Four studios at that time: Lebran, LVN, Premiere, and Sampaguita.

As for the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema, the San Diego Filipino Cinema said this happened from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, a time marked by heavy government censorship in the country.

Lee was the leading screenwriter at the time when movies with sociopolitical themes were very popular. His website lists  his award-winning films that include: Brutal (1980), Himala (1982), Moral (1982), and Karnal (1983).

For his works and achievements, Lee was named National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022.

-Kim Asis and Veronica Pulumbarit/Paraluman News