It was
during the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival when I first saw the movie
“Himala.” I remember traveling from the province to Manila just
to catch the year's biggest film event. Of course, the only reason I
went out of my way was to see Nora Aunor in her much~talked~ about
role as a visionary faith healer in an epic film destined to change
the course of the history of Philippine cinema.
Today,
30 years later, “Himala” continues to work wonders in film
circles here and abroad . Indeed, it has reached a global stature no
other Filipino film has ever achieved. In 2008, it was voted as CNN
APSA Viewer's Choice Award for Best Asia~Pacific Film of All Time,
besting Akira Kurosawa's “Seven Samurai” and Ang Lee's “Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” And just recently, Himala's restored version
premiered at the 69th
Venice Film Festival in its “Venizia Classici” program along with
other restored world cinema classics such as “Chimes at Midnight”
by Orson Welles and “Fanny and Alexander” by Ingmar Bergman.
 |
| Ricky Lee's "Sa Puso ng Himala" launched during the premier of the digitally restored "Himala" |
Last Dec. 4th, I had the rare privilege of watching this digitally restored version at a special screening during the Cinema One Originals Festival held at the Shangri~la Cineplex. Prior to its screening, I joined the long queue of people waiting to get a copy of Ricky Lee”s latest coffe table book “Sa Puso ng Himala” which was being launched in time for the restored film classic's Philippine premier. Written to commemorate Himala's 30th anniversary, “Sa Puso ng Himala” gives an insider look at the stories behind the production aspects of filming Himala as told by its cast and crew, including Ricky Lee (script writer), Nora Aunor (as Elsa), Spanky Manikan (as Orly), Laura Centeno (as Chayong), Joel Lamangan (as casting director and priest), among others.
Read more in the article "FILIPINO FILM CLASSIC 'HIMALA' REVISITED" published in Manila Bulletin on December 10, 2012.
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