History, humor and hope in 'Isang Komedya sa Langit'

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Once in a while, a film comes along that dares to be so many things at once: a comedy, a period piece, a statement on faith, a lesson in civics — and somehow still feel light and watchable. That's exactly what "Isang Komedya sa Langit" aims to do.

Produced and written by former Dasmariñas Village Makati barangay (village) captain-turned-story teller Rossana "Kapitana" Hwang and directed by Roi Paolo Calilong, the film is set in 1872 — a year etched in our history for reasons that, well, if you've been reading your Sibika, you'd know. But instead of a textbook-style reenactment of martyrdoms and uprisings, "Isang Komedya sa Langit" flips the script by telling the story of three priests who suddenly find themselves in what they believe is heaven yet turns out to be Metro Manila in modern times.

Can you imagine the ever youthful Carmi Martin in a grandmother's role?

"Historical fiction can lead people to study the past after watching the film," Hwang explained. "They'll Google it. They'll ask, 'Did this really happen in history'?" It's that nudge toward rediscovering our heritage that fuels the film's deeper purpose, beneath its stylized sets and comedic timing.

The cast is led by industry stalwarts Jaime Fabregas, EA Guzman, Gene Padilla, John Medina, and Akihiro Blanco as the hapless priests and Brother Marco. But it's the film's unexpected "funky lola," played by the ever-versatile Carmi Martin, who brings both laughter and heart. In fact, it was Carmi's casting that made Hwang rethink the look of her character.

"When I got Carmi, I changed my whole wardrobe design," Hwang shared at the movie's media launch in Quezon City. "I made it very funky, and we added the ukay element — not only to the lola but to the three priests too." Carmi's elderly character, Naty, ends up housing the priests who appear out of nowhere. And as she puts it, "I was waiting for a different lesson from heaven, but what God gave me were three priests."

For Carmi, who's played everything from beauty queens to high society matrons, this role was a refreshing challenge. "What my character wants to show is that even if you're already a senior, you still have value in society."

'Isang Komedya sa Langit' director Roi Paolo Calilong, Martin and the film's producer Rossana Hwang. TMT PHOTOS

True to indie form, the film was shot within a tight schedule and with a limited budget. Director Calilong, who comes from a theater background, embraced this constraint as an artistic advantage. "The staging is more theatrical. More simplified. But the intention and intensity is very much there."

Of course, this creative approach means the film won't be a typical cinematic feast of elaborate sets and CGI. But if anything, its stripped-down charm may just underscore its message better.

We just want to bring back Filipino values with this movie," Carmi said, stressing the need to remind young audiences to respect their elders, each other, and their country — not through sermons but through storytelling.

Slated for release on May 28, just a couple of weeks before the country celebrates Independence Day, "Isang Komedya sa Langit" is ultimately not a grand production but seems to have the makings of a lovingly told parable. One that asks what happens when three confused priests land in the middle of present-day chaos and, through humor and heart, shows us what it means to find heaven right here on earth.