A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery
Theatrical release poster
Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis
Directed byLav Diaz
Written byGian Anciro
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyLarry Manda
Edited byLav Diaz
Music by
Production
companies
  • Ten17P
  • Epicmedia
  • Sine Olivia Pilipinas
  • Potocol
  • Akanga Film Productions
Distributed byStar Cinema
Release dates
  • 18 February 2016 (2016-02-18) (Berlin)
  • 26 March 2016 (2016-03-26) (Philippines)
Running time
485 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
Languages
  • Filipino
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Mandarin
Box office₱4 million[2]

A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery (Filipino: Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis) is a 2016 historical fantasy drama film directed by Lav Diaz. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival.[3][4] At the film festival, it won the Alfred Bauer Prize (Silver Bear, 2nd Prize).[5][6] The film was released on 26 March and was distributed by Star Cinema.[7]

Cast

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics, with criticism mostly directed towards its pacing and confusing narrative.[8] Guy Lodge of Variety states in his review that "A major disappointment from a major filmmaker, Diaz's latest super-sized tapestry of historical fact, folklore and cine-poetry is typically ambitious in its expressionism—but sees the helmer venturing into the kind of declamatory, didactic rhetoric that his recent stunners Norte, the End of History and From What Is Before so elegantly avoided."[9] Part of the Berlinale Jury citation, headed by Meryl Streep:"...for opening new perspectives in cinema." Screen Daily calls it as "...one of Lav Diaz's best works."

The scholar Noel Vera says:"Ah no--no. Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis is a gorgeous film that traces the outlines of the Philippine character, flaws and virtues and all, from the ferment of an end-of-the-century rebellion through four hundred years of colonial past down to ancient pagan roots. If every foreign critic hated it for its many flawed details (forgot to mention, some of the Spanish sounded stilted), its dialogue-heavy dramaturgy, its (ultimately irrelevant) length, none of this would matter. The film was made for us Filipinos, to fill our hunger for poetry and narrative and magic, to give us back a sense of our storied past, our mythical and historical dead." The Italian critic Giampiero Raganelli cites:"Eight hours of mesmeric black and white, eight hours of beauty."

“This expansive and richly detailed story is to the screen what ‘War and Peace’ is to literature. Tracing various character paths and threads throughout the Philippine Revolution of 1896-97, the embroidery on display through calculated measures that redefine patience weave urban legends, local traditions, real-life artistic expressions with the most sensitive chapter of Philippine history.” —Nikola Grozdanovic, Indiewire

“An ambitious statement by one of contemporary cinema’s authentic radicals.” — Screen Daily

“Certainly one of Diaz’s finest films.” — Cinema Scope

See also

References

  1. ↑ "A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery". Berlinale. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "ABS-CBN 1Q 2016 Investor's Briefing Presentation Materials" (PDF). ABS-CBN Corporation. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Jan 11, 2016: Berlinale Competition 2016: Another nine films selected". Berlinale. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Berlin Film Festival Adds Nine Films to Competition Lineup". Variety. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "Prizes of the International Jury". Berlinale. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Lav Diaz wins Silver Bear at Berlin Film Festival". Rappler. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis to be shown in PH Cinemas". Rappler. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  8. ↑ Romney, Jonathan (19 February 2016). "'A Lullaby To The Sorrowful Mystery': Berlin Review". Screen International. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  9. ↑ Lodge, Guy. "'A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery' Review: No Lav for Diaz's Latest". Variety. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
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