MANILA, Philippines — Can you imagine Ishmael Bernal's "Himala" with a little bit of humor?
Palanca-winning author and scriptwriter Ricky Lee would have tweaked his masterpiece if he was given the chance.
“’Yung hindi gan’on ka-seryoso, konting humor lang,” he shared in the press launch of the iWant TFC original documentary series “Trip to Quiapo,” now available on the iWant TFC app (iOs and Android) or on iwanttfc.com. Lee came out with the story and wrote the film's screenplay.
Deemed as the only Filipino film that made it to CNN International’s Best Asian Films of All Time, the 1982 opus starred Nora Aunor in a film that is based on a series of Marian apparitions to schoolgirls in the province of Mindoro that took place from 1966 to 1972.
“As an artist, generally, 99% ng trabaho mo gusto mong balikan. Laging ‘di ka matahimik na ‘dapat ata gan’to, dapat ata ganu’n. Hindi ka maka-move on. Hindi mo masabing, ‘Ibigay ko na lang ‘to sa mundo, bahala na s’ya, I’ll just go to my next story’,” Lee said.
"Himala" premiered at the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival. It swept nine awards including Best Picture and Best Actress for Aunor. The following year, it became the first Filipino film to be included in the "Competition Section" of the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival.
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