By Gerry Plaza
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—A spellbinding victory indeed for Philippine cinema.

Visitors to the Cable News Network entertainment web site voted Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala,” which starred Nora Aunor as a simple provincial girl turned faith healer, as the Best Asia-Pacific movie of all time, outclassing such greats as Akira Kurasawa’s “Seven Samurai” and Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

The Filipino classic, originally released in 1982, emerged as the top online vote-getter in the popular vote that ran in October.

CNN announced “Himala” as its Asia Pacific Screen Awards Viewers Choice Award winner on Tuesday in a ceremony in Gold Coast, Australia.