Minsa'y Isang Gamu-gamo
or
Once A Moth (1976)
A Filipino drama that concerns a Filipina nurse, Cora de la Cruz (played by Nora Aunor), who is preparing to move to the U. S. Cora's boyfriend seeks to gain a U. S. green card by joining the U. S. Navy.
The events of the movie take place in 1969, near the U. S. Clark Air Base in Pampanga, where the surrounding local communities benefit from the U. S. military presence in more than one way. One such way is by children running onto a restricted bombing and strafing practice range to collect scrap metal. The base also employs locals in various services support jobs.
Cora's boyfriend's mother works at the base's PX and one day is strip-searched and degraded by a Filipina PX security guard as she ends her shift.
Even worse, Cora's kid brother is shot dead by an American guard when he joins other kids on a metal-collecting run inside the restricted bombing range. This tragic incident occurs as the family is preparing for a feast to celebrate Cora's impending departure to America.
The film is strongly critical of the American military presence in the Philippines and the failure of the Philippine judiciary to provide justice to locals seeking justice from actions involving the base. The film won two awards at the Metro Manila Film Festival and five FAMAS Awards, including those for best picture, director, and screenplay.
The film was discovered a few years ago in bad shape in an abandoned warehouse. The film had dust, debris, scratches, color stains, mold, fungus and splice marks. It flickered, had bumps, suffered from color breathing and destabilization, and much more. It took 3,500 hours of restoration. It is fully restored since 2018 and is now on YouTube with English subtitles.
