Himala
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Himala | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ishmael Bernal |
| Starring | Nora Aunor |
| Release date(s) | 1982 |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Himala ("Miracle") is an award-winning international Filipino film directed by Ishmael Bernal. Based on a 1967 incident, it was premiered in 1982 and was shown in other countries. The film stars the Filipino actress Nora Aunor, who is best known for her performance as the false visionary Elsa in this film. The role was considered by some critics to be the best performance in her career.
Contents |
[edit] Subject and impact
The film is centered on the issues of religious faith and faithlessness. In a notable line from the film, the character Elsa says:
"Walang Himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao... ang himala ay nasa puso nating lahat."
(Translation:"There is no miracle! Miracle[s] are in the heart of a person... miracle[s] are found in all of our hearts!")
This line is well-known in the Philippines, and is considered the most famous line in Aunor's career. The film was a box-office hit, earning an impressive 30 million pesos, becoming one of the highest grossing Filipino films in the 80's.
[edit] Awards
'Himala' has won numerous awards and distinctions in the Philippines and abroad, including Best Picture from the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival and the 1983 Catholic Mass Media Awards.
Aunor won the Best Actress trophy for her role in the film at the December local film festival, and was eventually nominated for other top acting awards in the Philippines. She was nominated for Best Actress at the 1983 Berlin International Film Festival, where the Himala vied in the prestigious competition for the Golden Bear Award, as it was personally handpicked by Festival Director Moritz de Hadeln in the official selection.
The film's international honors also include the Bronze Hugo prize at the 1983 Chicago International Film Festival, and was selected as the opening film for the 1983 Manila International Film Festival. 'Himala' was the choice of the Filipino society of film critics Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino as one of the best films of the 1980s as well.
Director Ishmael Bernal was conferred the National Artist Award posthumously, in June 2006. He was born in Manila on September 30, 1938 and died on June 2, 1996. His body of work was accorded the high recognition of Gawad CCP para sa Sining in 1990, and the Centennial Honors for the Arts, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Philippine Declaration of Independence and Nationhood in 1998.
[edit] Stage version
Scriptwriter Ricky Lee collaborated with theater group Tanghalang Pilipino (the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines) to stage a musical version of Walang Himala.
Originally, the collaboration intended to stage a "sequel," set twenty years after Elsa was shot (the same time that had lapsed since the movie was shown). It would have starred Nora Aunor in the role of Elsa, thereby establishing that Elsa survived the gunshot.
However, Aunor was not available and the team went on to stage a musical version of the movie. It was staged in the Huseng Batute Theater of the CCP in 2003 in the XX season of TP. Libretto by Lee, music by Vince de Jesus, lyrics by de Jesus and Lee, direction by Soxie Topacio, set and costume design by Gino Gonzales, choreography by Jose Jay Cruz and lighting design by Benjamin Villareal, Jr. May Bayot played the role of Elsa together with Isay Alvarez as Nimia and Cynthia Culig-Guico as Chayong.
It was restaged, due to popular demand, at the larger Aurelio Tolentino Theater in 2004 in the XX season of TP with the same artistic team.
[edit] Plot Summary
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (May 2007) |
- The setting is a small town named Cupang, a community set in an arid landscape. The lack of water is believed by the town to be due to a curse placed on them for driving away a diseased person years before.
- Elsa "sees" the Blessed Virgin Mary atop a barren hill.
- She begins to heal Cupang's residents and she is associated by friends, Chayong and Sepa.
- Lots of tourists come to Cupang to visit what is now called "Elsa's Shrine." At the same time, greed works. Cupang's residents started businesses for the tourist's money.
- Orlie, a filmmaker, arrives to investigate Elsa.
- Nimia, Elsa's childhood friend now a prostitute, returns haunted by Manila's darkness. She builds a cabaret for the tourists.
- The cabaret closes because a resident complains.
- Elsa and Chayong were raped on the hill and Orlie filmed it without giving help.
- There was a cholera epidemic with Sepa's children dying because of it.
- Chayong hung herself because of the rape. Elsa blamed herself for all of the deaths.
- Tourists left because of the deaths and because of a Chinese businessman's murder.
- Elsa became pregnant, and this was proclaimed as "The Immaculate Conception" (Elsa conceiving a child without a father, but this was due to her rape).
- The rain convinced the people that the miracle has returned and the curse was lifted.
- Elsa called all the people to an assembly on the hill and a big crowd arrived before her,
- Elsa then confessed that there are no miracles, no appearances of the Virgin Mary and no visions and that people are the ones who make up gods, miracles, curses and the such.
- Elsa was shot by a man in the middle of her confession in front of the crowd.
- A stampede ensues and the old and infirm who came to be healed are crushed in the mass hysteria. Blood and death are all over the hill.
- Elsa dies in her mothers arms and her body was taken to the hospital. The people were then led in praying the Hail Mary on their knees while going up the hill.
[edit] Awards
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
- Best Story/Screenplay, Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Picture, Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Actress (Aunor), Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Supporting Actor (Manikan), Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Supporting Actress (Duenas), Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Editing, Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Cinematography, Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- Best Production Design, Metro Manila Film Festival (1982)
- One of the Ten Best Films of the Decade, URIAN (1980-89)
- Best Screenplay, Catholic Mass Media Awards (1982)
- Winner, Bronze Hugo Awards, 19th Chicago Film Festival
[edit] Credits
- Direction: Ishmael Bernal
- Story/Screenplay: Ricardo Lee
- Cinematography: Sergio Lobo
- Music: Winston Raval
- Editing: Ike Jarlego, Jr.
- Sound: Vic Macamay
- Production design: Racquel Villavicencio
- Executive producer: Charo Santos
[edit] Cast
- Nora Aunor
- Spanky Manikan
- Laura Centeno
- Gigi Duenas
- Vangie Labalan
- Veronica Palileo
- Cris Daluz
- Joel Lamangan
- Ben Almeda
- Aura Mijares
- Ray Ventura
- Crispin Medina
- Lem Garcellano
- Estela de Leon
- Cesar Dimaculangan
- Joe Gruta
- Tony Angeles
- Richard Arellano
- Mahatma Canda
- Erwin Jacinto
- Vicky Castillo
- Tommy Yap
[edit] External links
- Himala, Database of Philippine movies
