First Look At Hilda Koronel’s Return To Acting In War Drama ‘Sisa’

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran Philippine actress Hilda Koronel, known for her collaborations with Lino Brocka and other leading filmmakers, is returning to the big screen in Jun Robles Lana’s historical thriller Sisa, which started shooting in the Philippines this week. 

The exclusive first look image above shows Koronel in the role of Sisa – a woman who wanders the land as a madwoman after surviving a brutal massacre of her village and family during the Philippine-American War. But her madness is a disguise, concealing her true identity as a spy driven by a burning desire for vengeance. 

Lana said: “This story elevates the voices and experiences of marginalized women, challenging traditional gender roles and highlighting their crucial role in resistance movements. Despite the brutality and oppression they face, the characters in the story demonstrate the resilience and unwavering spirit of the Filipino people in their struggle for freedom and self-determination.”

The film is an international co-production between Lana’s The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, Quantum Films, Cineko Productions, CMB Films and Myanmar-based Forever Group. 

Key crew on the film includes award-winning cinematographer Carlo Canlas Mendoza (Gomburza, Big Night!) and production designer Jaylo Conanan (And The Breadwinner Is…). 

Lana said the production has gone to great lengths to “recreate the sights, sounds, and even the smells of a reconcentrado (removal of rural inhabitants) in the early 1900s.”

“Imagine stepping onto a film set that vibrates with the energy of a military camp from that era – the dust, the sweat, the grime, the hardship – all palpable and real.”

The Philippine-American War took place 1898-1902, following the Spanish-American War, when the United States annexed the Philippines, only granting full independence to the country in 1946. 

Koronel was one of the Philippines’ biggest actresses during the industry’s Golden Era in the 1970s, known for powerful and nuanced performances, with credits including classics such as Brocka’s Insiang and Manila In The Claws Of Light. 

Jun Robles Lana is known for mainstream hits, including Die Beautiful and most recently family drama And The Breadwinner Is…, starring Vice Ganda, as well as festival titles such as Bwakaw and Your Mother’s Son, which both premiered at Toronto.