Director Pepe Diokno follows up “GomBurZa” with “Isang Himala,” a cinematic adaptation of the musical based on the 1982 classic “Himala.”
After his successful historical film “GomBurZa” in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last year, Pepe Diokno tackles another monumental and challenging project “Isang Himala,” the movie based on the musical created by Ricky Lee and Vincent de Jesus.
We had a rare chance of talking to Direk Pepe in between his editing and post production duties with our award-winning Benjamin Tolentino, and here is our brief Q & A also intended for our special Pelikula Journal.
Coming from the classic movie “Himala” by three National Artists (Ishmael Bernal, Ricky Lee and Nora Aunor), how did “Isang Himala” come about?
Pepe Diokno: “Isang Himala” is based on the classic film “Himala” (1982), which premiered in the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival, competed at the Berlin Film Festival, and was named Best Film by the CNN Asia Pacific Screen Awards in 2008.
In 2003, “Himala’s” screenwriter Ricky Lee, along with composer Vincent De Jesus, adapted the film into a musical play, which was first staged at CCP in 2003 (starring Mae Bayot as Elsa). The latest staging was by Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical in 2018 and 2019, starring Aicelle Santos as Elsa, and this earned multiple Gawad Buhay Awards.
Now, we’re bringing “Himala” back to its cinematic origins, re-imagined by Sir Ricky Lee himself and me, featuring the brilliant cast of the latest staging, and a new rock musical arrangement by Vincent de Jesus.
Why did you think of doing a film based on the musical? What unique experience would you want the audience to go through with this new movie?
Pepe Diokno: In 2019, I watched a staging of “Himala,” and it changed my life. It was the most visceral experience I’d ever had in the theater, resonating deeply with me as a Filipino. I was struck by how Sir Ricky transformed the 1982 film, expanding the story from a single-protagonist drama to a multi-character satire.
More than four decades since the original film’s premiere, “Himala” still has so much urgency and power. It explores themes of blind faith, greed-fueled politics, and fanaticism — issues as pressing today as they were under the dictatorship of the ‘80s. With everything that’s happening in the world today, I felt compelled to bring this story back to a wider audience through cinema.
What were the challenges faced by your team in doing this material which is now part of the 50th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival?
Of course, adapting a beloved work comes with its own pressures, but sir Ricky himself gave us his blessing and guidance (he is a producer in this project as well as a scriptwriter) so I’m very grateful. Technically, we decided to record the songs live rather than using lip-sync, to retain the power of all the performances. This required a lot of preparation and coordination from both the cast and crew. We also decided to reimagine Cupang completely and build it on a set, to create a new world that has never been seen before; something in the middle of real and surreal, familiar and unfamiliar. This is the biggest production I’ve ever done.
Simply put, how different is this version from the musical and from the classic “Himala” film?
Pepe Dionko: I will quote Sir Ricky: “I wrote ‘Himala’ in 1982 but the issues addressed by the film — idolatry and fanaticism over a single savior, extreme poverty and inequality, social injustices, false news and distortion of the truth to control the populace — sadly are still relevant issues in the Philippines today. What would be a real miracle is when in future this film would just be a distant memory of how things were then.” I hope that viewers will be moved by Elsa’s story, entertained by the town, and that the film will cause us to pause, reflect, and change our ways.
What are your plans for your movie “Isang Himala?” How will make sure that more people will get to access and experience this new film of yours?
I’m very excited to be part of the 50th MMFF, alongside a really great batch of films. The best way to watch “Himala” is in the theater, and I’m glad that we have that platform. After MMFF, we aim to bring the film to more audiences locally and, hopefully, internationally. I think “Isang Himala” will resonate with anyone who has ever grappled with faith, despair, love, truth, and hope. This is a Filipino story with a universal message.
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Jose Lorenzo “Pepe” Diokno is a film director, producer, and screenwriter. His first feature film, “Engkwentro,” won the Lion of the Future Award and the Orizzonti Prize at the 2009 Venice Film Festival. His latest film, “GomBurZa,” was both a critical and commercial success, winning seven awards at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, including Best Director, spending five weeks in cinemas, and debuting at #1 on Netflix. His latest film, the musical “Isang Himala,” will premiere on Dec. 25 at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.
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Jose Lorenzo “Pepe” Diokno is a film director, producer, and screenwriter. His first feature film, “Engkwentro,” won the Lion of the Future Award and the Orizzonti Prize at the 2009 Venice Film Festival. His latest film, “GomBurZa,” was both a critical and commercial success, winning seven awards at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, including Best Director, spending five weeks in cinemas, and debuting at #1 on Netflix. His latest film, the musical “Isang Himala,” will premiere on Dec. 25 at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.
