Hiling

Hiling

Year: 1998

Runtime: 104 mins

Language: Tagalog

Director: Jose Javier Reyes

FantasyFamilyComedyDrama

Anna, an ordinary girl, receives a mysterious birthday gift—a power to grant any wish by touch, though she cannot grant her own. She lifts a debt‑burdened family, fulfills a gay man’s wish to become a woman, turns her hopeless‑romantic friend into a neighborhood heart‑throb, and gives local children a swimming pool, among countless other impossible wishes that reshape the community.

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Timeline & Setting – Hiling (1998)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Hiling (1998). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Barangay Sansinukuban, Kalye Matiyaga

Sansinukuban is a crowded, chaotic barangay where families live in close quarters along Kalye Matiyaga. The neighborhood is a tight-knit community marked by street life, makeshift homes, and neighbors who know each other’s business. Everyday life is shaped by the actions and concerns of the residents, including intermittent power and shared spaces.

🏘️ Barangay life ⚡ Chaos 🤝 Community

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:32

Main Characters – Hiling (1998)

Meet the key characters of Hiling (1998), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Anna (Camille Prats)

A generous, curious girl who can grant wishes by touch. Her power unsettles family life and tests her sense of responsibility as the community around her reacts to the miracles and misfires of her gift.

✨ Power 🫶 Responsibility 👧 Youth

Cely (Cherry Pie Picache)

Anna's mother, a stabilizing presence who supports her daughter while dealing with the village's dramas. She anchors the family amid magical events and everyday challenges.

👩 Family 💪 Strength

Melyang / Lola Melyang (Nida Blanca)

Anna's grandmother and the matriarchal figure of the family, whose wisdom and skepticism shape how the community processes the miracles.

👵 Grandparent 🧭 Wisdom

Oscar (Tirso Cruz III)

Anna's estranged father who lives with his sister Pura; his absence and return influence family dynamics and perceptions of belonging within Sansinukuban.

👨‍👧 Family 💔 Estrangement

Pura (Mely Tagasa)

Oscar's sister and aunt to Anna; her status in the family and her plants become part of the neighborhood's aunts and uncles' storytelling as miracles unfold.

👩 Relative 🌿 Green thumb

Minggoy (Menggie Cobarrubias)

Anna's friend who wins a lottery after being touched, embodying the dream of escaping poverty and the temptations and envy that follow.

💰 Wish 🧭 Ambition

Trinket (Serena Dalrymple)

The youngest daughter of Joy, whose family life intersects with Anna's miracles and the community's curiosity about miracles and consequences.

👧 Child 🧵 Community

Joy (Joy Viado)

Trinket's mother and a visible voice in the neighborhood’s social fabric; her reactions to miracles echo the community’s mixed feelings about the extraordinary.

👩 Mother 🗣️ Gossip

Abigail (Shaina Magdayao)

Neighbor who lives with her elder brother Rolly and grandfather Sotero; part of the extended family network in Sansinukuban.

👧 Family 🧭 Community

Elwood (Paolo Contis)

A hopeless romantic who pursues April with earnest, adding a thread of romantic longing into the neighborhood’s colorful life.

💘 Love 🤞 Hope

April (Andrea Del Rosario)

Daughter of Kikoy, she is the object of Elwood's affection and a central figure in the family’s social world.

👧 Family 💖 Affection

Rolly (Carlo Aquino)

Abigail's elder brother, part of the village household; a defensive, supportive presence within the family unit.

👦 Sibling 🧭 Family

Sotero (Koko Trinidad)

Grandfather and neighborhood patriarch whose presence embodies traditional values and the community’s rhythms.

👴 Elder 🧭 Wisdom

Kikoy (Felindo Obach)

Village chief and father of April; a local authority whose leadership frames everyday decisions in Sansinukuban.

👮 Authority 🧭 Leadership

Arnel / Ahrnell (Ogie Diaz)

A character transformed into a woman by Anna's touch, representing gender identity and the social shifts that miracles can provoke.

⚧️ Identity 🔄 Change

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:32

Major Themes – Hiling (1998)

Explore the central themes of Hiling (1998), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

✨ Magic Realism

A magical gift threads through the everyday life of a crowded barangay when Anna can grant wishes by touch. The old lady's blessing blurs the boundary between the ordinary and the extraordinary, injecting wonder into a tough neighborhood. The motif of magic reveals how belief, generosity, and consequence mingle in a community.

🫶 Impact of Kindness

Generosity triggers real changes in people’s lives: wishes alter wealth, appearance, and opportunities. Anna’s touch prompts dramatic turnabouts for Minggoy, Arnel, and others, showing how kindness can lift individuals yet ripple through families. The story probes responsibility and the sometimes unpredictable outcomes of wielding power.

🏚️ Community Struggle

The neighborhood faces everyday hardships—from electricity cuts to economic need—creating a rugged, resilient culture. The magic-in-the-streets intersects with poverty, social bonds, and local leadership as residents navigate hope and risk. This tension grounds the tale in a vivid portrayal of urban barangay life.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:32

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