HIMALA

by Ishmael Bernal
A Reaction Paper
A provincial town awash in folk religiosity and superstition, poverty, a cholera outbreak, harsh
climate, and the miracle healing crusade lead by the miracle incarnate Elsa, are the ideologies presented
in the film Himala by Ishamel Bernal. The dominant ideology that the film is trying to say is that in this
country, the Philippines, the Catholic church rules. In the film, it is shown that people are blinded by faith,
that they are easily fooled by some confessed prophet, and soon be treated as a saint and will worship
her. The church here is presented as the ruling class; it constructs and circulate dominant ideas in order
to secure its rule and dominate the minds of the working class, the people. Due to poverty, drought and
diseases in the barrio, almost everyone thinks that their place is cursed. These ideologies make a relation
to one another in a thought of "a good publicity brings a good business". Here comes the subordinate
ideology. Just when Elsa claimed that she has seen the virgin Mary and soon healed her sick and
disabled neighborhood, businesses like selling of fans, t-shirts, rosaries, religious artifacts, blessed water
by Elsa and other things started to boom. Consequently, of course, she became popular so the hundreds
of people from her town became thousands for even people from the urban areas have come to pay a
visit, witness her miraculous healing, or also to be healed. Elsa, her friends and her family do not receive
fee from Elsa's healing but a donation is seen to be welcomed. This only implies that people make the
best profit out of their devotees. In the scenes where people to be treated stand in a line, it is seen that
rich people like the millionaire business man Chua was prioritized first for the reason that he donates big
time. Moreover, Nimia, Elsa's close childhood friend arrived and put up a cabaret that promotes
prostitution. This action entails a division in people's mind, whether to build up their faith, or continue to be
faithless and sinful.
Something befalls Elsa and her friend Chayong which signifies the end of their good fortune. It is
followed by a cholera outbreak that cannot be healed by Elsa. Deaths come and it elicit the town people's
blame. People stop coming, a millionaire businessman is murdered, her confidante commits suicide. Elsa
blames herself for everything. People who were foolish by the thought that Elsa could do and heal
everything, were disappointed and have become angry over Elsa. A good example of this is the case of
Chayong. Chayong gives her faith to Elsa only. She trusts her friend so much that it seems like she treats
Elsa as a God. Because of her blind faith, she gets assaulted and causes her to kill herself. Indeed, it is
portrayed that people were greatly affected by the idea that Elsa is their only hope for everything to get
solved.
The renouncement of Elsa that there is no miracle ("walang himala!") means for the dominant
ideology is if we put faith to only one God, put the faith to God himself and not on what most religion's
tradition. It is putting the faith on the God only, and not on those artifacts people worship nowadays and

false prophets views. This confession of Elsa portrays the Filipino's differences in spirituality. Many are
divided by religion and are only religious but not really faithful to one God.
This film "Himala" is truly a cinematic miracle. It bravely confronted the diseased culture of blind
faith and asks the viewers the question of what is right.. Therefore the film supports the idea that it is not
the consciousness of men that determines their being, but it is their social being determines their
consciousness.