Relive the glory that is ‘Himala’
MANILA, Philippines - Miracles do happen, and this time, it’s the digitally restored and remastered copy of Ishmael Bernal’s Himala, which opens in cinemas nationwide on Dec. 5.
The film is the first of 3,000 films to be re-mastered by ABS-CBN and Central Digital Lab. Selecting Himala to restore first is an obvious choice, as the film won Viewer’s Choice Award for Best Film of All Time from the Asia-Pacific by CNN Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
The process began by completing the film prints, some of which were damaged or missing. The team then removed scratches, pops and whistles in the audio, and restored color. It took 700 hours and several miracles, but the film was revived and screened at the 69th Venice Film Festival last September.
Himala will premiere at 9 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Cinema One Originals festival at Shangri-La Cineplex, and a documentary titled Himala Ngayon will screen prior to the premiere with a book signing by writer Ricky Lee.
Amore, please
Moviemov is a six-day Italian film festival that runs from Dec. 4 to 9 at Greenbelt 3, Makati. The fest opens with this year’s Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear winner, Caesar Must Die. It will feature contemporary films from acclaimed directors, including Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D, and a retrospective of Sergio Leone’s films alongside Brillante Mendoza’s Thy Womb and Gutierrez Mangansakan II’s Qiyamah. Moviemov doubles as a competition to be judged by Filipino professionals and will include discussions on the state of film. Entry to screenings, workshops and meetings are free.
Fun runs are popular these days, but we bet you haven’t heard of an all-girl mud run. It’s Triple D: The Down and Dirty Dash, where female participants go through a 3k run with five muddy challenges to the delight of male viewers. Triple D aims to promote confidence, camaraderie, and empowerment, but we’re pretty sure it’s going to be quite the spectacle, too. The event is a win-win-win situation: Girls can have fun, guys can ogle at the girls, and the Project Pink Cancer Support Group will get the proceeds. Triple D happens in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, today.
Stop the drama at Attraction! Reaction!
The wildly popular gig series Attraction! Reaction! is back with Tama Na Ang Drama, a listening party and launch of Saturnino Basilla’s fourth issue of Whitey zine. For those who are still not familiar with A!R!, it is one of the best gigs in town featuring bands like Ciudad, The Lowtechs, Ang Bandang Shirley, and The Purplechickens. Compared to other gigs, this is more laidback and chill, a perfect escape for horrible days in school or the office. For insiders, the quirky names are themes made by founders Kathy Gener and Anj Pessumal based on what they feel at the moment, and Tama Na Ang Drama is this week’s attempt in their fourth year. For first-timers, drop by Route 196 on Katipunan at 9 p.m. tonight and thank us later for revealing this great secret.
Artist Jazel Kristin is ending her two-year exhibit “I Consume Therefore I Am” with a sunset performance at the Blanc Gallery in Makati. The performance will celebrate Kristin’s exhibit, a collection of mixed media collages, inspired by her obsession and deprivation of food in her 10-day fast during her artist residency in Paris. The pieces are accompanied by a video of a masked lady who seems to suffer from bulimia with images and sound bites of people narrating what consumes them the most. The video, Je Consomme Donc Je Suis, will highlight today’s activity with accompaniment by Pundaquit Virtuosi, a group of musicians from the world-renowned Casa San Miguel in Zambales. Leave reality at the door and embrace surrealism today at 5 p.m. at the Blanc Gallery, Unit 2-E Crown Tower, 107 HV dela Costa St., Salcedo Village.
Hang with ‘kapres’, ‘dwendes’, ‘tiyanaks’, and ‘aswangs’
Halloween may be officially over but Dulaang UP is bringing it back with Umaaraw, Umuulan Kinakasal ang Tikbalang, an LSD trip of a play featuring Filipino supernatural creatures like kapres, dwendes, tiyanaks, and aswangs. The plot revolves around a journey to a wonderland of folk creatures, and of course, a wedding between tikbalangs. The play is adapted from Gilda Cordero-Fernando’s short story “The Magic Circle,” and is directed by José Estrella, with costumes by Leeroy New, shadow puppetry by Don Salubayba, and choreography by Stephen Viñas. Umaaraw runs from Nov. 29 to Dec. 9 at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerreo Theater at the UP Palma Hall. For ticket inquiries, contact Sam Clarin or Camille Guevara at the DUP Office at 926-1349, 981-8500 local 2449 or 433-7840.
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