Friday, November 14, 2008 'Himala' honored as CNN's best Asian film
THE 1982 movie of legendary director Ishmael Bernal "Himala" starring Superstar Nora Aunor made history topping Cable News Network (CNN) poll as Best Film of All Time in the Asia Pacific.
Himala, with the international title Miracle, was honored during the recently-concluded 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) in Gold Coast, Queensland in Australia. It was attended by about 700 film bigwigs from across the globe.
Majority of film critics and CNN viewers chose Himala among other highly-appreciated Asian films as the best Asian movie. The online voting lasted for more than one month.
The said Filipino classic film, bested nine other Asian's top-caliber films, namely: Oscar-winning films "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (China); "Spirited Away" (Japan); "The Seven Samurai" (Japan); "Gabbeh" (Iran); "Gallipoli" (Australia); "Pather Panchali" (India); "Oldboy" (South Korea); "Internal Affairs" (Hong Kong/China); and "Chungking Express" (China).
Himala was a recipient of numerous awards in the Philippines and abroad. It has won Best Picture in 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival and in 1983 Catholic Mass Media Awards.
The movie also raked countless awards from local prestigious award-giving bodies Famas and Urian.
For its international accolades, it bagged 1983's Bronze Hugo Prize at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Written by Ricky Lee, Himala is about a tale of a provincial girl who becomes a faith healer as she claims to have been chosen by the Virgin Mary as the messenger of good faith. (JRDB/Sunnex)
