History of Ha

The journey is just as important as the destination in Lav Diaz's slow-paced road movie.

In mid-century Philippines, President Magsaysay has died in a plane crash. The country has only recently been liberated from colonial rule so it's a time of disquiet for the country. Shouldering his own personal scars, a ventriloquist, who has been rendered non-verbal, embarks on an arduous trek through the rain-soaked jungle with his puppet and spokesperson Ha.

Curator's note
Dirt roads sodden with tropical rains. Roadside stalls offering the ultimate salve. Lav Diaz's long-form work sits adjacent to the road movie, where the journey is just as important as the destination. With History of Ha moving along its slow but deliberate path, the film places its viewers almost inside a journey that feels like it could be happening in real time. The result is an experience in being profoundly anchored to the present, almost disallowing the audience's imaginations to skip ahead.

History of Ha is true slow cinema.