Hinugot sa Langit
Encyclopedia
Hinugot sa Langit is a 1985
Gawad Urian Award winning Filipino
melodramatic film directed by Ishmael Bernal
based on moral
values. It is considered a classic in Filipino cinema and picked up four Gawad Urian Awards
. It is about an unwanted pregnancy and issues with abortion
and the church.
) who during the first few minutes of the film informs her cousin Stella (Amy Austria
). Stella scoffs and recommends abortion
. The father of the child, Jerry, also recommends abortion. Her over religious landlady Juling (Charito Solis
), who is busy juggling her religious aims and her legal quarrel with the poor families illegally living in her land, however strongly suggests that she keeps the baby as killing it would be a sin against God
.
Carmen sees signs that would seemingly suggest an answer to her difficult decision. Her poor neighbors struggle for money to feed their children. She sees a physically malformed child vending goods outside the church. She loses her job at a financing company due to the struggling economy
during that time.
Carmen eventually decides to have an abortion in a deeply moving scene with close up shots of the cold steel utensils used by the doctor to undertake it. The cold steel of the abortion tools and the close up shots in turn attempt to emphasise the coldness of killing an unborn child.
and screenwriter Amado Lacuesta employ a number of minor side stories into the main picture to increase the social hypocrisy
in the film. The Philippines being a prominently Catholic
nation declare abortion as criminally and morally wrong but the characters surrounding her aren't naturally sure of their own lives. Stella is outwardly happy and wild but inwardly is insecure and lonely. Landlady Juling, whilst attempting to be a saint is riddled with guilt which she tries to forget through her religious practices, forgetting that the world has deeper problems than her past.
and also Charito Solis
and Amy Austria
.
The film won Gawad Urian Awards
for Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Production Design and Best Sound in 1986,
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
Gawad Urian Award winning Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
melodramatic film directed by Ishmael Bernal
Ishmael Bernal
Ishmael Bernal was an acclaimed Filipino film, stage and television director. He was also an actor and screenwriter...
based on moral
Moral
A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim...
values. It is considered a classic in Filipino cinema and picked up four Gawad Urian Awards
Gawad Urian Awards
The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines held since 1977. It is given by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino and is currently regarded as the counterpart of the United States' New York Film Critics Circle....
. It is about an unwanted pregnancy and issues with abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and the church.
Plot
The center of the drama is the young unmarried but pregnant Carmen Castro (Maricel SorianoMaricel Soriano
Maricel Soriano , is a critically acclaimed Filipina film and television actress.-Biography:...
) who during the first few minutes of the film informs her cousin Stella (Amy Austria
Amy Austria
Amy Austria-Ventura is a FAMAS and Gawad Urian Award-winning Filipino film and television actress....
). Stella scoffs and recommends abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. The father of the child, Jerry, also recommends abortion. Her over religious landlady Juling (Charito Solis
Charito Solis
Charito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
), who is busy juggling her religious aims and her legal quarrel with the poor families illegally living in her land, however strongly suggests that she keeps the baby as killing it would be a sin against God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
.
Carmen sees signs that would seemingly suggest an answer to her difficult decision. Her poor neighbors struggle for money to feed their children. She sees a physically malformed child vending goods outside the church. She loses her job at a financing company due to the struggling economy
Economy of the Philippines
The Economy of the Philippines is the 43rd largest in the world, according to the World Bank with an estimated 2010 gross domestic product of $200 billion, it is estimated that by 2015, the ranking of the Philippines would go up to the 18th and by the year 2050 it will land on the 14th...
during that time.
Carmen eventually decides to have an abortion in a deeply moving scene with close up shots of the cold steel utensils used by the doctor to undertake it. The cold steel of the abortion tools and the close up shots in turn attempt to emphasise the coldness of killing an unborn child.
Overview
Hinugot sa Langit may be branded as pro-life but in reality, while its focus is that controversial issue, Ishmael BernalIshmael Bernal
Ishmael Bernal was an acclaimed Filipino film, stage and television director. He was also an actor and screenwriter...
and screenwriter Amado Lacuesta employ a number of minor side stories into the main picture to increase the social hypocrisy
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie....
in the film. The Philippines being a prominently Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
nation declare abortion as criminally and morally wrong but the characters surrounding her aren't naturally sure of their own lives. Stella is outwardly happy and wild but inwardly is insecure and lonely. Landlady Juling, whilst attempting to be a saint is riddled with guilt which she tries to forget through her religious practices, forgetting that the world has deeper problems than her past.
Cast
- Maricel SorianoMaricel SorianoMaricel Soriano , is a critically acclaimed Filipina film and television actress.-Biography:...
... Carmen Castro - Al TantayAl TantayAl Tantay is a Filipino film actor, writer, and director and the former husband of Rio Locsin, with whom he made several movies, including Rizza Jones, Showgirl , Love Affair , Wild Animals , and Bilibid Boys...
... Jerry - Rowell Santiago ... Bobby
- Charito SolisCharito SolisCharito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
... Juling - Amy AustriaAmy AustriaAmy Austria-Ventura is a FAMAS and Gawad Urian Award-winning Filipino film and television actress....
... Estella - Dante RiveroDante RiveroDante Rivero is a FAMAS award-winning and Gawad Urian Award-nominated Filipino film and television actor.-Television :-Movies:*2002 Bro.....
- Susan Africa
- Jaime Asencio
- Vic Jose
- Pen Medina (as Crispin Medina)
- Tony Pascua
- Mario Taguiwalo
- Leticia Tison
- Ray Ventura
- Aurora Yumul
Soundtrack and cinematography
Thematically sound, Hinugot sa Langit has been praised for its technical and musical merit. The music is sparse and controlled. Bernal foregoes the overorchestrated notion of what a drama should be and instead relies on his visuals and his actors talents to draw out emotions. The cinematography is simple but there are some very atmospheric shots where the lighting, the blocking of the actors, and the framing, contribute to Bernal's atmosphere of confusion and cynicism for this unsure Filipino society. The film was also praised for its acting, particularly Maricel SorianoMaricel Soriano
Maricel Soriano , is a critically acclaimed Filipina film and television actress.-Biography:...
and also Charito Solis
Charito Solis
Charito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
and Amy Austria
Amy Austria
Amy Austria-Ventura is a FAMAS and Gawad Urian Award-winning Filipino film and television actress....
.
The film won Gawad Urian Awards
Gawad Urian Awards
The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines held since 1977. It is given by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino and is currently regarded as the counterpart of the United States' New York Film Critics Circle....
for Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Production Design and Best Sound in 1986,