What makes a miracle: Pondering on the musical film ‘Isang Himala’
W-O-W. This was the only word that came out of my mouth at the end of the musical film, “Isang Himala,” one of the 10 entries in the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). I clapped in appreciation along with seven other moviegoers inside cinema 8 of Ayala Malls Manila Bay during its afternoon screening. I was among kindred spirits who can sit through two hours and 25 minutes of heavy drama, sociopolitical nuances, religious fanaticism, man’s greed, mob mentality, and cult culture conveyed via a film musical with legitimate theater actors and actresses.
Under the brilliant direction and vision of Pepe Diokno, the same director who helmed GomBurZa (MMFF 2023 entry), and the scriptwriting abilities of National Artist Ricky Lee, the theme of this groundbreaking film is timeless. The character Elsa portrayed by Nora Aunor back in 1982 in the original “Himala” masterpiece by THE Ishmael Bernal is still very much relatable in 2024. Aicelle Santos’ portrayal of Elsa is outstanding along with the rest of the cast, mostly theater staples. The twist toward the end of the film is so unexpected that I was just shaking my head in disbelief.
Religious fanaticism as manifested in current times like Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ can be both good and bad. A double-edged sword as the phrase goes. Faith or devotion to a certain deity or persona initially starts out as good. Believers create better versions of themselves. Later on, this same religious fanaticism leads to man’s destruction. I wonder why it is human nature to praise the heavens when something good happens to them (“himala”), at the same time blame the heavens (“sumpa”) during bad ones. Man points his finger at everything and everyone else for his circumstances, except at himself.
WALANG HIMALA! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng bawat isa. Nasa damdamin ng bawat isa. Tayo ang gumagawa ng himala (There is no miracle! A miracle is in someone’s heart and feelings. We are the ones making miracles)—powerful words by Elsa toward the end of the film. Indeed, our fate lies in our own hands. What we do with what life throws at us while holding on to faith to a higher being is what makes something a miracle.
PAMELA CLAVERIA,
dokceemitch@gmail.com
