HIMALA triumphant in CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award

The Pinoy film classic HIMALA which was directed by Ishmael Bernal and stars Nora Aunor, has been awarded the CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time.

Thousands of CNN viewers voted on "The Screening Room" Web site to honor Ishmael Bernal's 1982 film with the accolade, which is jointly awarded by CNN and the region's prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

Bernal's austere tale of a young woman who goes on a healing crusade after seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary, which stars Filipino actress Nora Aunor, took the prize with 32 percent of the vote. It came in ahead of ahead of more widely known films like Japanese Akira Kurosawa's "Shichinin no samurai" ("Seven Samurai"), which took second place and "Wo hu cang long" ("Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon") by Taiwan's Ang Lee, which snared third. Other films in the shortlist included Chan-wook Park's "Oldboy" from South Korea and Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki's animated film "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" ("Spirited Away").

"Whatever the reason, I do feel we deserve this award," said "Himala" producer Bibsy Carballo, "If only as a tribute to our people who in once a great while decide to come together as one, forget their petty squabbles and divisiveness, and make a declaration of support for this troubled nation, and its tremendously talented and good-hearted if unfortunate population. Long live 'Himala!'"

When it was first released in 1982, "Himala" was picked for the official selection at Berlin International Film Festival, as well as a number of other festivals, and Nora Aunor was nominated for Best Actress.

SOURCE: CNN.COM
HIMALA cover re-design by Reymundo Salao