“Waláng himalâ! Ang himalâ ay nasa pusò ng tao, nasa pusò nating lahat! Tayo ang gumagawâ ng mga himalâ! Tayo ang gumagawâ ng mga sumpâ at ng mga diyos”
Since its inception, this line from the 1982 film “Himala,” directed by Ishmael Bernal, has been inextricably linked to Nora Aunor.
The film follows the folks of provincial town Cupang, at the center of which is Elsa who one day as the town witnesses a total eclipse, declares that the Virgin Mary has revealed herself to her and bestowed upon her the gift of healing.
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The film story and script written by Ricky Lee was inspired by a series of alleged Marian apparitions appearing before schoolgirls, which took place from 1966 to 1972 on Cabra Island in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro.
Blind faith and fanaticism plagued the poor town of Cupang, which represents a microcosm of a society that is so desperate to cling on to something that will give them hope in this world full of hopelessness.
The film premiered at the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), where it won Best Film and Best Actress for Aunor, among other awards.
Himala was regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Filipino films, that turned Lee, Bernal and Aunor into icons.
The title National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts were conferred to Aunor and Lee in 2022.
Forty two years later, a reprised version “Isang Himala” is among this year’s entry in the 50th Metro MMFF.
Directed by Pepe Diokno — from a script he co-wrote with Lee and music by award-winning musical director Vincent de Jesus — this musical adaptation stems from the 2018 stage production “Himala: Isang Musikal” by Ed Lacson Jr. and featured almost the entire cast of the Sandbox Collective full production reprising their roles.
In this musical rendition, singer-actress Aicelle Santos brought Elsa to life — a faith healer in a remote town whose miraculous claims stir both fervent devotion and intense controversy.
Aside from Santos, the film’s cast members include Bituin Escalante as Aling Saling, Elsa’s mother; Neomi Gonzales as Chayong; Kakki Teodoro as Nimia; Vic Robinson as Pilo, as Chayong’s boyfriend; David Ezra as Orly and Floyd Tena as a priest.
The film won Best Supporting Actress for Teodoro; Best Musical Score by De Jesus; Best Original Theme Song ‘Ang Himala ay Nasa Puso’; Special Jury Prize and 4th Best Picture.
Like Teodoro as Nimia, actress Gigi Duenas who originally played the role in the 1982 version of Himala also won the award at the 1982 MMFF.
The arrival of Nimia, a former prostitute and Elsa’s childhood best friend who has returned from the big city, takes advantage of the whole Elsa situation by establishing a cabaret bar together with her father as a means to profit from the tourists and guests that constantly visit their town.
Teodoro portrayed Nimia, through her elaborate display of contrast between her and Elsa’s fates; Nimia’s reputation contrasts Elsa’s pious image by demonstrating a daring and devil-may-care persona as a sex worker,
Nimia’s scenes contained the lines “ang tunay na himala ay nasa gitna ng aming mga hita (the true miracle is in between our thighs)” and “ako ang tunay na birhen na sa lahat nagpapakita (I’m the true virgin who shows herself to everyone),” established her contempt for Elsa’s narratives, a creative way of describing the taboo through words associated with the divine.
“Ako po si Kakki Teodoro. Ako po ay mula sa mundo ng teatro!”, Teodoro said in her acceptance speech as Best Supporting Actress.
I first saw Teodoro as the female Jose Rizal in the full-length stage musical “Pingkian” about the life of Emilio Jacinto.
“Rizal is in all of us, his legacy is so strong in our History as Filipinos, so much so that we can honor his words and legacy to also offer something in Herstory as well,” says Teodoro. “The role of Dr. Jose Rizal is iconic and the responsibility is immense, and at the same time I am grateful and proud. I am very proud to be a woman playing this role. I am proud to bring forth his words and ideals with this feminine body and energy.”
I saw Aunor in a wheelchair last August during the Cinemalaya special screening of the 1980 film “Bona” directed by Lino Brocka that tells the story of a young girl infatuated with a bit actor
Lee, along with Angeli Atienza won Best Screenplay for the prison drama “Green Bones” which received five other awards including Best Picture, Best Actor’ for Dennis Trillo, Best Supporting Actor for Ruru Madrid, Best Cinematography and Best Child Performer for Sienna Stevens.
“Green Bones” explores conflict between justice, personal vendetta, and moral boundaries, touching on the reality of the Philippine justice system where so many are falsely accused.
Judy Ann Santos won Best Actress for “Espantaho”. I also usually meet Lee in Cinemalaya and I remember one of his advise to aspiring writers: “Keep swimming in the sea of life. Don’t be daunted even if you drown. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Because when you fail, that’s when you find your real self.”
(Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho is the Junior Partner of the Sapal Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09088665786.)