Mario O'Hara is an award winning Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages. He is of American descent.[1]
A native of Zamboanga, O'Hara collaborated often with the acclaimed director Lino Brocka in his 1970s films. He wrote the screenplay for Brocka's You Were Judged and Found Wanting (Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, 1974), one of Brocka's rare attempts at a broad canvas, about life in a small provincial town.
O'Hara's 2004 film Babae sa Breakwater addresses issues of poverty in Manila and was met with some considerable success.
Due to his claustrophobia he is unable to attend film festivals internationally.