Once a Moth
International Arthouse
•
1h 49m
Directed by Lupita Aquino-Kashiwahara | 110 mins | 1976
Groundbreaking in its critical depiction of the American military presence in the Philippines, Aquino-Kashiwahara’s incendiary political drama tells the story of a young lower middle-class couple (Aunor and Jay Ilagan) and their immediate families living in the vicinity of the Clark Air Base in Pampanga, the pair’s dreams of emigrating to the US shattered by experience of the unchecked arrogance and abuse of their Yankee neighbors. While any negative depiction of US presence in the country was harshly discouraged under the rule of President Ferdinand Marcos, Aunor’s star power was enough to push "Once a Moth"—widely regarded today as one of the greatest of Filipino films—into production.
Up Next in International Arthouse
-
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
Leaving February 1
Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan | 157 mins | 2011
Against the majestic Turkish countryside, a roaming police investigation reveals more about the investigators and the tragicomedies of everyday life than about the foggy facts of the case. Ceylan’s gorgeously shot, masterfully pa... -
Our Beloved Month of August
Leaving February 1
Directed by Miguel Gomes | 147 mins | 2008
Gomes’s magical mystery tour through the rich pageant of summertime Portugal blurs fiction and documentary as it chronicles a traveling family pop band, interviews with an array of folks in the country, and a fragile fictional love st... -
P. P. Rider
Leaving February 1
Directed by Shinji Sômai | 118 mins | 1983
Adapted from a story by Leonard Schrader—yes, Paul’s brother—"P.P. Rider" is a cheeky, playful, and consistently surprising adventure yarn about three young friends who, having witnessed the kidnapping of their school bully, set out o...
