Aicelle Santos as Elsa in MMFF 2024 entry “Isang Himala.” Picture: Courtesy of CreaZion Studios
Aicelle Santos and filmmaker Pepe Diokno imagine that one of many core themes of the Metro Manila Movie Competition (MMFF) 2024 entry “Isang Himala” is the portrayal of religion and blind worship, which could be seen within the case of Elsa and the townsfolk of Cupang.
“It’s nonetheless related. ‘Isang Himala’ is about religion and blind religion,” the movie’s director INQUIRER.internet in a one-on-one interview. “In the present day—if we have been to depend the time because the launch of the 1982 film—lagi tayo naghahanap ng sasalba sa atin. Lagi natin ine-externalize ang ating pag-asa at kinabukasan (we at all times search for somebody who can save us. We at all times depend on exterior strategies in searching for hope for our future).”
“Isang Himala” is a wedding of the 1982 movie “Himala” starring Nora Aunor and “Himala: Isang Musikal” which was written by Ricky Lee and composer Vincent de Jesus, which was first staged on the Cultural Middle of the Philippines (CCP) in 2003. It was restaged by a number of theater productions years later, with Santos taking up the function of the titular Elsa in 2018 and 2019.
Its premise stays the identical. After claiming that she noticed an apparition of the Virgin Mary, Elsa takes cost as a religion healer of Cupang, the place she was touted because the “miracle (or himala)” of the drought-stricken Cupang.
“I don’t know why we haven’t modified. Or perhaps we now have modified, however just a bit bit. However I feel that’s the rationale why tales like this should be informed and retold in several methods and artwork varieties,” Diokno stated. “That’s the rationale why movies are so highly effective as a result of it offers us new views.”
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Aicelle Santos in a scene from MMFF 2024 entry “Isang Himala.” Picture: Courtesy of CreaZion Studios
Agreeing with the author’s query, Santos stated doing the movie reminded her of how the general public depends on a sole being as a supply of hope and misfortune. “Naghahanap pa rin tayo ng hero. Naghahanap pa rin tayo ng sisisihin. Naghahanap pa rin tayo ng sasalba sa atin.”
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“However because the story has many individuals, makaka-identify ka kung sino ka,” she continued, hinting at how blind religion could be portrayed by its key characters. “Ikaw ba si Elsa? Ikaw ba si Chayong? Ikaw ba si Nimia? O si Igme? Ang dami. And with this model, I feel mas nakilala ang bawat karakter, hindi lamang si Elsa.”
(All of us search for heroes. All of us search for somebody guilty. We’re nonetheless looking for somebody who can save us. However because the story has many individuals, you’ll be able to establish what sort of individual you might be. Are you Elsa? Are you Chayong? Are you Nimia? Are you Igme? There are such a lot of of them. And with this model, I feel you’ll have an opportunity to know every character other than Elsa.)
Being a mom additionally performed a vital function in permitting Santos to grasp what the movie stood for. The movie portrays Cupang as a city of residents determined for change, ensuing of their blind worship towards Elsa, which in flip, took time for the actress-singer to grasp that change begins inside themselves.
“How is change gonna occur? Who will do it? It’s me. I’ll put together my future—and others too. However how? Tulong-tulong. Hindi naman pwedeng nasa isang tao lang (Let’s assist one another. We will’t simply depend on one individual alone),” she stated.
“However yeah, it can take a technology or extra to have these large adjustments. However I hope we get to see it, or no less than our youngsters get to see it,” she continued.
Staying trustworthy and untrue
In accordance with Diokno, certainly one of his memorable encounters with the Nora Aunor-starrer was seeing it for the primary time in movie college. “It left such a mark on me,” he stated whereas recalling that he additionally watched “Himala: Isang Musikal” someday in 2018 and 2019.
“If you watch the unique movie, there are loads of silences. It’s not a really dialogue-driven movie,” he stated. “So [Ricky Lee and Vincent de Jesus] have been pondering, what if we add songs in these silences? What if we convey out Elsa’s true emotions and ideas, in addition to the opposite characters, by track? For me, that modified fully how the story is introduced.”
With this in thoughts, Diokno hoped that the “goosebumps” he had whereas watching the movie and musical could be felt by the viewers within the MMFF 2024 entry. “I used to be left with so many ideas and feelings that I wanted to course of with the individuals I used to be with. That’s the identical expertise that we like to present to audiences.”
Santos, alternatively, stated she made an effort to “keep trustworthy” to the script regardless of her expertise with the character. “I nonetheless printed the script. I nonetheless put notes. Kasi importante kilalanin kung sino talaga si Elsa (As a result of it’s vital to know who Elsa really is),” she stated.
Permitting herself to totally immerse into researching her character allowed Santos to seek out the stability between herself and Elsa.
“On researching the character, I attempted to marry the experiences I had as Aicelle. I imagine that Aicelle and Elsa have loads of issues in frequent. So placing these issues collectively, I used to be in a position to revive Elsa in ‘Isang Himala,’” she shared.
Aicelle Santos in a scene from MMFF 2024 entry “Isang Himala.” Picture: Courtesy of CreaZion Studios
When requested how Diokno was in a position to marry movie and theater in creating the MMFF 2024 entry, he shared that Nationwide Artist Ricky Lee (who served because the screenwriter of the 1982 movie and musical) gave him a “free house to reimagine the ending.”
“I’m very, very grateful kay Sir Ricky that he allowed us the house to reimagine that ending. We’re each trustworthy and untrue to it. And once we confirmed the primary minimize to Sir Ricky, I used to be very nervous exhibiting him the ending. Particularly that it opens conversations on a number of points. This isn’t nearly on the lookout for a hero,” he defined.
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Like an excited fangirl, Santos gleefully hinted: “It’s probably the most stunning ending.”
Aside from Santos, the forged consists of Bituin Escalante, Floyd Tena, David Ezra, Neomi Gonzales, Kakki Teodoro, Vic Robinson, and Joann Co.
