By Mark Vincent A. Durano and Kristine Aimee M. Millonte

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee urged the Far Eastern University (FEU) community to go beyond the traditional Filipino filmmaking in the ‘From Screen to Stage to Screen: Exploring Himala with Ricky Lee’ campus tour held at the Arts Building Theater Room on December 5. 

"It’s not comfortable to change things, but you can change things. That's what we’re trying to do ngayon, coming up with a musical na puro stage actors ang artista. You can help change things sa isang panahon kung saan bagsak ang mga pelikulang Pilipino (in the moment where Filipino films are in decline)," he said during the talkback session.

The tour screened the documentary ‘Himig ng Himala,’ the behind-the-scenes of ‘Isang Himala,’ an official entry for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival directed by Pepe Diokno.

The film is a reimagined musical version of the 1982 classic ‘Himala,’ a cinematic masterpiece of three National Artists Lee, Ishmael Bernal, and Nora Aunor.

Moreover, Lee also shared that the campus tour aims to reach out to different schools and students without solely relying on media to promote their film during his talk at the Q&A session together with CreaZion Executive Producers RJ Agustin and Real Florido.

"Pinupuntahan namin kayo, kayong mga estudyante, kasi naniniwala kami na nasa inyo ang future (We go to you, to you students, because we believe that the future is in your hands)," Lee added.

He also encouraged students to support local cinema as it reflects one’s identity as a Filipino.

Additionally, Lee emphasized that Filipino films are unique compared to global films for its unparalleled nature.

“I think magiging global tayo kung magiging Pinoy tayo. Ang Pinoy na pelikula ay ‘di kayang gawin ng kahit anong bansa sa buong mundo. Tayo lang ang makakagawa no’n. Ano ngayon ang Pinoy na pelikula? Ano ngayon ang Pinoy na sensibilidad? (I think we will be global when we become Pinoy. A Pinoy film cannot be made by any country in the world. We are the only ones who can make that. What is Pinoy sensibility?),” he stated.

The National Artist added that he is still on a journey to learn how to make his films “more” Pinoy, such as the elements in ‘Himala.’

‘Isang Himala’s’ plot revolves around Elsa, who was convinced she was the chosen one to perform miracles for the impoverished Barangay Cupang. 

In line with this, Lee noted the story’s withstanding significance even in today's society where the majority is desperate to look for a symbol of salvation from others when it can only be found from within. 

“Only to realize, like Elsa in our film, na wala sa kamay ng ibang tao ang ating himala, ang ating kapalaran, kung ‘di nasa ating mga puso. Tayo ang gagawa ng ating tadhana, tayo ang gagawa ng ating buhay, tayo ang gagawa ng ating mga kuwento (that our miracles and our fate do not exist in others’ hands but in our hearts. We are the ones who will make our fate, we are the ones who will make our lives, we are the ones who will make our stories),” he said. 

The reboot is set to premiere on December 25 across selected cinemas nationwide.

The event was done in collaboration between the FEU Department of Language and Literature Studies, FEU Campus Life, and CreaZion Studios.

Lee previously visited FEU the day before for ‘TamWrite Workshop,’ wherein he discussed the process of scriptwriting.

(Photo by Gwyneth Mendoza/FEU Advocate)