{{Short description|2021 Philippine film}}{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = History of Ha | image = History of Ha 2021 movie poster.png | caption = Release movie poster | director = Lav Diaz | writer = Lav Diaz | starring = John Lloyd Cruz | cinematography = Lav Diaz | editing = Lav Diaz | studio = Sine Olivia Pilipinas | released = {{Film date|2021|10|12|London}} | runtime = 276 minutes | country = Philippines | language = Filipino<br>English }}
'''History of Ha''' ({{Langx|fil|'''Historya ni Ha'''}}) is a 2021 Philippine historical drama film written, directed, and edited by Lav Diaz. It premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on October 12, 2021 as part of the Dare section.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 7, 2021 |title=Lav Diaz's 'History ni Ha' to premiere at London film fest |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/09/07/21/lav-diazs-history-ni-ha-to-premiere-in-london |website=ABS-CBN News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Calma |first=Hector |date=2021-09-07 |title=LAV DIAZ's "Historya ni Ha" to premiere at BFI London Film Fest |url=https://cinemacentenario.com/features/lav-diazs-historya-ni-ha-premieres-at-bfi-london-film-fest/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Cinema Centenario |language=en-US}}</ref> It earned seven nominations at the 2022 Gawad Urian Awards including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Direction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ROQUE |first=NIKA |title=Here are the nominees for Gawad Urian 2022 |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/chikaminute/844668/gawad-urian-just-released-the-list-of-nominees-for-2022/story/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=GMA News Online |date=13 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The Young Critics' Circle awarded it Best Picture for 2021 and Best Actor for John Lloyd Cruz.
== Premise == Hernando Alamada realizes the Philippines is experiencing a bitter transition yet again after the president, Ramon Magsaysay, unexpectedly dies in a plane crash. Alamada treads on an aimless journey and descends into absurd madness before finding redemption.
== Cast ==
* John Lloyd Cruz as Hernando Alamada, a vaudeville great and a former socialist cadre * Ha as himself * Teroy Guzman as Among Guzman * Mae Paner as Sister Lorenza * Dolly de Leon as Dahlia, an aging sex worker * Jonathan Francisco as Joselito * Hazel Orencio as Matilde * Earl Ignacio as Earnesto Guevara * Eliezl Gabuco as Hernanda * Jun Sabayton as Congressman Torres
== Production and release == The film was shot in black-and-white and was shot in Sibaltan, Palawan, in 2019. The town's residents were also included in the cast. ''History of Ha'' was planned to premiere in the 2020 Locarno Film Festival, but it was not screened in that year and in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cruz |first=Armando Dela |date=2021-09-08 |title=[Only IN Hollywood] Lav Diaz to premiere 4th film with John Lloyd Cruz at London Film Fest |url=https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/lav-diaz-john-lloyd-cruz-history-of-ha/ |access-date=2025-12-21 |website=Rappler |language=en-US}}</ref> It was also screened in the 2021 QCinema International Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Godinez |first=Bong |title=These are the winners in this year's #QCShorts by QCinema International Film Festival |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/lifestyle/news/83524/these-are-the-winners-in-this-years-qcshorts-by-qcinema-international-film-festival/story |access-date=2025-12-21 |website=GMA Network |language=en}}</ref>
== Reception == ABS-CBN's Fred Hawson described the film as a black comedy with a steady pace in storytelling and commended its cast for acting "physically-demanding" and "dangerous" scenes such as walking on mountain paths during rainfall.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hawson |first=Fred |date=December 6, 2021 |title=Movie review: John Lloyd Cruz gives his all in Lav Diaz's 'Historya ni Ha' |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2025/12/21/director-mae-cruz-alviar-reveals-why-her-film-love-you-so-bad-will-not-have-a-premiere-night-1343 |work=ABS-CBN}}</ref> The film is "rich in political discourse" and multi-layered as it discusses a ventroquilist's context in a post-vaudeville era and serves as a cautionary tale for The Philippine Star's Juaniyo Arcellana.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arcellana |first=Juaniyo |date=October 17, 2021 |title=Ha who? Who Ha! |url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2021/10/17/2134613/ha-who-who-ha |access-date=2025-12-21 |website=The Philippine Star}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=tt14682578|title=History of Ha}} {{Authority control}} Category:2021 films Category:2021 black-and-white films Category:2021 drama films Category:Philippine drama films Category:Philippine black-and-white films Category:Films directed by Lav Diaz
{{Philippines-film-stub}} {{2020s-drama-film-stub}}