Jun Lana's 'Sisa' unveils trailer ahead of PÖFF premiere

ANO'NG NGALAN MO? The trailer for Jun Lana's new film, Sisa, teases a dark, thrilling story about a vengeful madwoman during the Spaniards' rule of the Philippines, and a momentous return to acting for veteran actress, Hilda Koronel.

Joining Koronel in the cast are Jennica Garcia, Tanya Gomez, and Eugene Domingo, whose work, Mga Kwentong Barbero, also underscores the role that women play in standing up in the face of oppression and tyranny.

The story is borrowed from Jose Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere, in which the eponymous character appears as Narcisa, a woman driven to madness after her sons have gone missing during the Spanish rule. If that sounds like it's a plight familiar to modern-day Filipinas, it's because it is still happening, what with the takings and murders of Kian Delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, and Reynaldo De Guzman, just to name a few.

Lana's reimagining turns Sisa into more than just a symbol of Spanish oppression. Here, she enacts vengeance by downplaying her revenge plot as a harmless "baliw," quietly leading other women to revolt. "[The film] elevates the voices and experiences of marginalized women, challenging traditional gender roles and highlighting their crucial role in resistance movements," Luna adds.

Jun Lana’s new historical thriller ‘Sisa’ stars Hilda Koronel

Slated for a 2025 release, Lana’s new film “elevates the voices and experiences of marginalized women.”

UnreelUnreel Staff

Sisa is scheduled to screen next month at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival or PÖFF, the same fest where Lana's previous film, About Us But Not About Us, made its world premiere.

No local release date has been announced as of press time.