‘Sisa’ marks highly anticipated return of Hilda Koronel
She has been away from the Philippines since 2012, after deciding to make Los Angeles, California her home alongside her late husband, Filipino-American businessman Ralph Moore Jr.
Hilda Koronel remains a definitive screen icon of her generation and possesses one of the most luminous faces in the history of Philippine cinema. She is best known for her unforgettable, visceral performances in Lino Brocka’s seminal masterpieces, “Insiang” and “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag.”
Recently, Hilda has been making the rounds on television to promote her latest film, “Sisa,” directed by the award-winning Jun Robles Lana. The project marks her highly anticipated return to the screen after a hiatus of more than a decade.
An acclaimed historical thriller, “Sisa” is set in 1902 during the American occupation, a period of fierce resistance, betrayal and bloodshed. Amidst this countrywide chaos, Sisa (played by Hilda) leads a complex double life. To the world, she is a woman driven to madness by the slaughter of her family; in reality, she is a resilient survivor and a spy for the Filipino revolutionaries, seeking vengeance against the forces that shattered her peace.
Here is a transcript of the quick chat I had with the legendary (but shy and private) Hilda:
You have been away from Philippine cinema for quite some time. What convinced you to come home to do the film ‘Sisa’? Are you planning to make Manila your home again?
“I went home to Manila to do the film because the script was beautiful. But for now, I have no plans to make Manila my home.”
Tell us about your life in the US and what adjustments you have made now that you’re a widow.
“I live a very simple life in the US, it’s a very boring life yet peaceful. I was a housewife, I attend to my garden, my two cats and my son.”
Any unfulfilled dreams? Regrets?
“I don’t know if I have any unfulfilled dreams, but I have a lot of regrets.”
Describe your parenting and grandparenting style.
“It’s very different if it’s your own children, syempre hindi naman ako ganon ka higpit, I’m a bit of a disciplinarian, but syempre, mas maluwag ako sa mga apo ko kasi hindi ko na mga anak yon. Pwede kong hiramin tapos isasauli ko na pagkatapos. Bahala na mga anak ko mag disiplina sa kanila, pero mababait naman ang mga apo ko.”
Sisa is a fictional character from Jose Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere. And although the movie ‘Sisa’ is not based on this character, the name Sisa in the Philippines is synonymous with a woman who is driven to madness by the loss of her sons. What would you say your triggers or stressors are?
“I think we all have that ‘madness’ in us, when we are pushed into a corner and hindi natin makayanan mga nangyayari sa ating buhay and some of us have mental issues. Thankfully, now people talk about it, go to therapy and people talk about it openly unlike before when we barely talked about these things.”
“Sisa” is currently showing in over a hundred theaters nationwide. The film also stars Eugene Domingo, Jennica Garcia, Tanya Gomez and Romnick Sarmenta. It held its world premiere last Nov. 20 at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn, Estonia.
“Sisa” is supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and produced by The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, Quantum Films, Cineko Productions,
CMB Films and YayWati International, in association with Kidlat Entertainment.
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