SHALEHA: ANG BADJAO NA KINILALA SA BUONG MUNDO

Si NORA AUNOR bilang si SHALEHA

Ni ALVIN DELA CRUZ BERNARDINO

Mapangahas ngunit buong pagmamalaki naming sasabihin na sa kasaysayan ng pagiging film actress ni NORA AUNOR, ang karakter niyang si SHALEHA sa internationally acclaimed movie na THY WOMB ang siyang PINAKAMATAGUMPAY sa lahat...

Sino ang mag-aakala na ang simple ngunit makatotohanang pagganap ni Nora bilang si Shaleha ay maghahatid sa aktres sa tugatog ng tagumpay at magiging daan upang si La Aunor ay muling kilalanin sa buong mundo bilang isa sa mga pinakadakila at pinakamahuhusay na alagad ng WORLD CINEMA...

Nasaksihan natin ang payak ngunit sinubok na buhay ni SHALEHA sa Thy Womb... Isang ordinaryong Badjao na hilot o komadrona na sa isang malaking biro ng tadhana ay nalaman natin na hindi pala maaaring magka-anak... Isang BAOG na babae na nabibilang sa isang kultura kung saan napakahalaga para sa isang may-asawang lalaki ang magkaroon ng ANAK...

Ang pinagdaanan ni Shaleha sa kwento ng Thy Womb ay masasabing hindi pangkaraniwan... At sa pinagdaanan niyang yaon ay nakita natin ang pambihirang KATATAGAN ng kanyang pagkatao... Nakita natin ang KATAPANGANG bumalot sa katauhan ni Shaleha mapatunayan niya lamang ang matinding pagmamahal sa asawang si Bang-asan... Sabi nga ng ina ni Mersila noong namanhikan sina Bang-asan upang pormal na hingin ang kamay ng dalaga (ang naging pangalawang asawa ni Bang-asan at nagbigay ng pinakamimithing anak sa lalaking Badjao): "Pinahanga mo kami sa iyong katatagan, Shaleha!"... AT TOTOO NAMAN NA SADYANG KAKAIBA ANG IPINAKITANG TIBAY NG PAGKATAO AT PANANAMPALATAYA NI SHALEHA UPANG GAWIN IYON...

Umukit sa ating isipan at umantig sa ating mga damdamin ang itinagong sakit ng loob at pighati ni Shaleha na buong banayad niyang ipinakita sa eksenang nakatitig siya sa buwan habang hinahaplos ang banig na buong tiyaga niyang hinabi... At sa eksena ng huling pagtatalik nila ng asawang si Bang-asan na naghalo ang emosyong galak, lungkot at pagtanggap sa kanyang masakit na kapalaran...

Malayo na nga talaga ang narating ni SHALEHA... Malayo na rin ang narating ni NORA AUNOR... Magmula sa Italya hanggang sa Australia, Hong Kong,Russia at dito sa Pilipinas --- at sa di mabilang na tagumpay ng Thy Womb at ng natatanging husay sa pagganap ni La Aunor na kinilala sa buong mundo, masasabing ang karakter ni SHALEHA ay kahanay na ng, kundi man mas higit pa sa mga klasikong katauhan ni Nora sa puting tabing tulad ni Elsa, Bona, Flor Contemplacion, Karina Salvacion/Helen Morda at Dorinda...

Shaleha oh Shaleha... Pinahanga mo kami sa iyong katatagan... Nora oh Nora, patuloy mo kaming pinahahanga sa iyong angking husay at brilyo sa pagganap... MULI, KAMI AY NAGBIBIGAY-PUGAY SA KAPANGYARIHAN AT NAPAKALAKING KONTRIBUSYON NG KABABAIHANG PILIPINO SA ATING LIPUNAN AT SA MUNDO...

Mabuhay ka Shaleha! Mabuhay ka NORA AUNOR!!!

SWEET DOUBLE VICTORY IN TWO DAYS!

By: ALVIN DELA CRUZ BERNARDINO

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THE ARTISTRY OF NORA AUNOR

Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=210259579141156&set=a.192191627614618.1073741828.192185854281862&type=1&theater

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For Nora Aunor, winning has become sweeter than ever... Her most recent triumphs occurred in record two successive days... Last August 29, 2013, Nora was awarded Best Actress by Gawad Tanglaw, an Academe-based group of film critics from the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Calamba, Laguna. She, of course, won for her mesmerizing performance in Brillante Mendoza's Thy Womb.

On the following day, August 30th, Aunor earned another best actress prize (and a BIG one at that!) -- from the 3rd Sakhalin International Film Festival in Russia also for Thy Womb. The award is Nora's fourth international acting recognition for 2012 and 2013 for just a singular film. An amazing feat indeed!

Both local and foreign film critics singled out Aunor as the best of the best. And she is bound to receive another local acting award from the Young Critics Circle on September 3, 2013.

Yes, for Nora Aunor, when it rains, it really pours...

AND NOW THERE ARE FOUR...

By: ALVIN DELA CRUZ BERNARDINO

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Source:  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=210800785753702&set=a.192191627614618.1073741828.192185854281862&type=1&theater

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Just a couple of months ago, this Page posted an artwork showing Nora Aunor clutching her three international acting trophies (one of them is actually an enormous plate with a golden eel on it) from Italy, Australia and Hong Kong which she won for just a single film -- Thy Womb... That alone is already a remarkable feat that will be hard to duplicate... But on the afternoon of August 30, 2013, a huge surprise greeted the entire Philippines when the news broke out that La Aunor won as best actress during the closing rites of the 3rd Sakhalin International Film Festival in Russia... AND NOW THERE ARE FOUR... 

NORA AUNOR SETS YET ANOTHER RECORD IN THE HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA... AN EXTRAORDINARY FEAT BEFITTING AN ARTIST OF HER STATURE...

As our way of expressing our GRATITUDE to God Almighty for this new blessing in the life and career of the great artist NORA AUNOR, here is an inspiring quote: 

"When you have a spirit of excellence, you do the right thing not because somebody is watching you, not because they’re making you do it. You do it to honor God."

Just like Nora Aunor, let us strive for excellence in whatever noble endeavor we pursue --- with all HUMILITY, PASSION, DEDICATION and the full ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Greatest One who gave us our strengths and talents ...

NORA AUNOR AND THE URIAN: THE GROWTH OF ARTISTRY

BY: ALVIN DELA CRUZ BERNARDINO

36 years after bagging her very first Urian trophy for Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Nora Aunor remains the epitome of genuine artistry….. Recalling the inaugural awarding rites of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, an elite group of film critics, academicians and esteemed professionals in the country, one could not help but wonder how in the world this phenomenal pop star managed to get the nods of film critics considering the very tough competition she faced that year. Yes, in my book, 1976 was a great year for local films and performers as the second Golden Age in Philippine Cinema saw the light in that year.

Nora was listed in what is considered the strongest batch of Best Actress nominees in the history of local cinema… Lolita Rodriguez for “Lunes, Martes, Miyerkules…”, Hilda Koronel and Mona Lisa for “Insiang”, Daria Ramirez for “Nunal sa Tubig” and Charo Santos for “Itim”. Hilda’s Insiang already won for her the lead acting plum and Mona Lisa the supporting actress honors in the 1976 Metro Manila Film Festival. It was an almost unanimous decision of the Manunuri: Nora Aunor is the best of the year. Her Rosario in the war drama directed by Mario O’Hara is an ill-fated character that relied on the instinctive acting skills of a young Aunor. The role is perhaps one of the most difficult and most complex ever created for the silver screen. And amazingly, Nora matched the demands of the role with unbelievable depth and sensitivity. She became the toast of the industry and of the film critics who boldly admitted that Urian was created because of Nora Aunor and Nora Aunor became a much more committed serious actress because of that recognition by the Manunuri. True enough.

Jump to 2013: More than three decades after that historic acting triumph of Nora Aunor and sixteen years after her last Urian win (winning in 1976, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1995 and 1996 and with a record number of 17 best actress nominations since 1976), she once again reunited with the Manunuri – now clutching her seventh Urian prize for best lead actress for her internationally acclaimed film Thy Womb. Much has been said about her Shaleha portrayal. If I may quote Manunuri Chair Tito Valiente in his review of Thy Womb --- “Nora Aunor is the AVATAR of truth as depicted in the film”.

1976 and 2012 --- two significant years in the acting career of Nora Aunor… Two important years that underscored her contribution to Philippine cinema in the eyes of the country’s premier film critics… In her speech after being proclaimed 2012 Urian Best Actress, Aunor never forgot to thank the Manunuri for recognizing her artistry -- adding that it is much sweeter and fulfilling for an artist to be recognized in his native land.

The Manunuri hailed Nora in 1977 believing that as a film artist, she was bound for greater greatness and that she was capable of reaching the highest high in her chosen field… This 2013, the Manunuri hailed Nora anew… This time, they express pride and appreciation of what Aunor has achieved in the name of ARTISTRY… This time, it is no longer the Manunuri alone who honor Aunor… They now share it with the Filipino nation and the world that have been amazed by the GENIUS that is NORA AUNOR.