Nadine Lustre will perform the ‘Himala’ monologue to support low-income film workers

Our (unofficial) president does it again with other beloved storytellers from the industry.

Happening on Apr. 21 at 8 p.m., Lockdown Cinema Club’s (LCC) Gabi Ng Himala: Mga Awit at Kwento will feature our favorite actors interpreting scenes from a Filipino cinema classic, Ishmale Bernal’s “Himala.” This is all in the name of supporting low-income, no-work-no-pay film workers who are struggling during this pandemic.

One of the highlights is Nadine’s scene rendition of Nora Aunor’s “Himala” monologue. She will be joined by none other than “2 Cool 2 Be Forgotten” director Petersen Vargas. 

“For the monologues, we wanted to see the differences when different directors work with different actresses, so we tried to find good matches. Petersen and Nadine were the ‘millennial’ voice [of the program],” shares Lockdown Cinema Club’s Alemberg Ang. “We have others like Iyah Mina (‘Mamu; And a Mother too’) with Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, who is a queer female director.  Dingdong Dantes will also direct his wife Marian Rivera for the event. There are other combinations din, which made the variations significant and very interesting.”

Apart from making beloved indie films available online, LCC did themed nights like “Tadhana” and “Zombadings.” “We were stuck around 2.5 million, kasi nag-dwindle na ang donors, so we thought of other ways to raise the money.” Gabi Ng Himala: Mga Awit at Kwento is the brainchild of Carl Chaves and Ricky Lee. “The idea is to invite other actors and directors to do monologues and scenes from ‘Himala.’”

When asked why the monologue from “Himala” was picked for Nadine, Ang emphasized the importance of Ishmael Bernal’s magnum opus. “‘Himala’ is one of the most important Filipino films spanning generations. Its message and themes are extremely applicable and poignant given today’s times,” explains Ang. “Its message transcends generations and is something very important for us to hear again given what’s happening to our country today.”

Read more: You can now stream Petersen Vargas’ Cinemalaya short film

Folks can watch Nadine and other talented storytellers by donating to LCC through online banking and Ticket2Me. With your donation, you’ll be helping them reach their goal of 3 million pesos that will aid 1,500 film workers.

So, if you love Nadine and Filipino cinema, this is a cause you should get behind on. What is Filipino cinema without its trusty behind-the-scenes crew after all?

Read more:
Nadine Lustre’s working on her debut album under Careless
Nadine Lustre really deserves that FAMAS Best Actress award
Here’s what we know so far about Petersen Vargas’ second film

Photo from Petersen Vargas