Isang Komedya sa Langit

 Humor and history converge in new genre film

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Kapitana Entertainment Media brings to the screen a new blend of filmmaking. In the historical fiction "Isang Komedya sa Langit," heart, humor, and history are brought to life by the collaboration of a hundred Filipino talents in one journey through time.

From 1872, the year that marked a brewing national consciousness during the Spanish colonial era, to the present time, three priests face the oppressive trials of the Spanish government, only to find themselves grappling with the struggle of equality and justice in today's world.

"I love comedy so I chose the genre. This is an edu-tainment kind of work. You learn while being amused! I wanted to be a teacher. I never dreamt to be a public servant, nor a book author, or movie producer. Fate had it otherwise.

"If you love your work, you won't think about it as work anymore. I go to church very often. I'm very serious with my faith," shared playwright Rossana Hwang, who based the screenplay from her published book, "The Lost Saints."

Kap Rosanna, as most people call her, finished her AB Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University. She served Barangay Dasmariñas in Makati as barangay chairman for three full terms (plus an extension).

Topbilled by Jaime Fabregas, Edgar Allan Guzman, Gene Padilla, Carmi Martin, John Medina, and Aki Blanco, this 112-minute film shows how a 'divine comedy' gently invites reflection without preaching. 

"This is historical fiction of the Gomburza era. We tweaked the costumes of Carmi Martin's character using Ukay-Ukay fashion.

"We were looking for locations that carried the weight of time - places where you could almost feel history breathing through the stones. Sanctuario del Sto. Cristo Parish had that quiet majesty, the kind that grounded the story visually without needing elaborate sets," she continued.

This Independence Day special presentation starts screening on May 28 in selected SM cinemas nationwide.

"The questions our heroes faced then - whether to seek change through dialogue or force - are still questions we face now, in different forms. The film shows both sides with empathy; reminding us that the path to true freedom is complex and deeply human," Kap Rosanna said in closing.