chiaroscuro of cinemagic

Still casting a spell with her subdued performance in Brillante Mendoza's latest film, Ms. Nora Aunor remains a haunting presence in the light and shadow of her artistry. So attests an academician who was in Rome where "Sinapupunan" (Thy Womb) was screened recently after its world premiere in competition at the 69th Venice International Film Festival. 

The Superstar as Shaleha Sarail, a barren Bajau midwife who goes the distance of 
personal sacrifice for the love of her child-yearning husband. (Photo by Bor Ocampo)

According to college professor Rene Orobia Durian, an Italian senator told him it was "unforgivable" that the jury failed to declare Aunor as the best actress despite the  various reviewers' unanimous ode to her performance, especially after her historic achievement as the first actress of any nationality to win the Bisato d'Oro (Golden Eel) prize given by an independent group of European critics who covered the Venice festival. Still enthralled by the  collaboration of the Philippine's greatest actress and the most internationally renowned Filipino filmmaker, the professor exclaims: “Ang kagandahan ng 'Thy Womb', unti-unting kinukuha ang loob ng nanonood. Sa umpisa hindi mo mapapansin dahil marami kang matatanaw sa paligid, ang ganda ng mga tanawin sa Tawi-Tawi. Hindi mo mamamalayan na hinihigop na pala ni Shaleha ang iyong loob. Hanggang sa huli, natagpuan mo na lang ang sarili na naipako na ni Nora Aunor!”

That sense of rapture has been in sync with the chorus of superlatives from Venice to the recent 50th Vienna International Film Festival where a critic blogger counts it among the best of world cinema that he ranks with the highest five-star rating.   

No less starry-eyed is another Australia-based Filipino blogger who waxes effusive about 
Mendoza's handling of the film and Aunor's portrayal: "While Brillante Mendoza has wielded his unconventional directing style to make this film another masterpiece, Nora Aunor immortalizes on (sic) this film her brand of underacting. In fact, she redefines it here...Consider a few instances in the film where Nora shows complex feelings of sorrow and gratitude, longing and frustration, love and loss without having to utter a single word, but with those eyes, oh, those eyes piercing right through your heart. Her glance at the crescent moon, at the flight of birds, and towards Allah in heartfelt prayer, and those downcast eyes in the face of embarrassment, you know she is telling you more than you can hear in dialogue, and right at that moment you understand. This is what makes ‘Thy Womb’ a moving story..." (Click the link of the full review.)