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.