New Moon

The Pilipino Unity network (MAGKAISA) co-sponsored a screening of "BAGONG BUWAN" at the San Francisco Asian American International Film Festival a couple of years ago. The entire crowd was deeply affected. Although a lot of men would not want to admit it, I saw many of them with tears welling up in their eyes. There are limits to the perspective of a film made in Tagalog about people in Magindanao, but Diaz-Abaya has crafted something very moving which can reach a lot of Tagalog speakers, if they ever get to see it all the way through. A teacher I know from Magindanao region commented that, except for the part where Montano's character cries, he thought it was a good film. The main protagonist being a doctor married to a nurse also makes it easy for the more open-minded members of the audience to identify with the characters. With all of the anti-Muslim propaganda in the media, this is one small dose of antidote for our community's mental and sociological health which touches hearts of those who are open to it. I also recommend Diaz-Abaya's films "JOSE RIZAL" and "SA PUSOD NG DAGAT."

I watched this movie at "Fukuoka international film festival 2002"in Japan. Marilou took part in this film festival eight consecutive years in a row. Every one of her films moved us and her films are very popular in Fukuoka,Japan. It was very amazing that she had finished picturizing for this movies before 9.11. To my regret, in Japan,it is almost impossible to watch this movie. Video is not sold. We can buy the video. But it has no script in Japanese or in English. Would you know how to get video or DVD with English or Japanese subtitle? If you know, please give us mail. Thank you for your kind reading.

A 10/10! A must see movie. Great script, great direction. Cesar Montano's performance is very moving. His acting is much better than his movie, Jose Rizal. This movie, dealing about the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao and its effect to the civilians, is worth for your collection!

I love this film. I don't cry that easily, but this film made me tear up. Maybe because I'm from Mindanao, where the film is set, so I know at least a little more than most how closely the events in this movie mirror real life. I live outside of the war zone, but among the same sort of people depicted in the movie. The title, Bagong Buwan, means "New Moon", representative of the time when the nights are darkest, but also meaning hope, for after the darkest hours, the light will soon reappear. Watching it was like seeing people I know, old friends and neighbors, schoolmates and classmates. The child lost in the war zone, the refugees with nowhere to go, the parents distraught over the death of their only child, the brothers divided in ideology, the young freedom fighter, the Christian girl who married a Moslem, the young volunteer who tries to help… they are not just characters in a movie, but are representative of many people who, like me, live on this beautiful and embattled island where several religions, ways of life, and ideologies clash. And yet, like real life, these are no stereotypes, but seem like real people with real issues, neither good nor bad but somewhere in between and as human as they come. My favorite part has to be the scene where the doctor bandages the wounded soldier and the latter quips like "Now I have to be removed from the battlefront because I'm already disabled," and the doctor retorts "I wish all the soldiers would get disabled so there won't be anymore fighting here in Mindanao." Cause that's what all of us Mindanaoans want, a peaceful coexistence despite all our differences.