Fall of Grace: Nora Aunor as Cinema

Abstract

Nora Aunor is enlisted in this speculation as a medium in the register of both the cinema and the transmission of spirit. The key trajectory is the oft-cited film Himala, which opens up a conceptual space for mediumship, the technology of the actress, her biography and corpus of art, and the devotion to her person. The essay constellates a set of texts including the sculpture in honor of Elsa, the main character of Himala, the film Silip, and the life of a fan. Nora, the performative vessel of Elsa, becomes fundamentally cinematic. It is through her that Elsa is fleshed out as a miracle worker of vexing potency. Nora is herself a testament to the transformative potential of the technology of the cinema.