Balangiga: Howling Wilderness

Balangiga : Howling Wilderness

Director: Khavn

Country: Philippines

Year: 2018

Running Time: 120 minutes

Producer: Edong Canlas, Khavn, Achinette Villamor

Starring: Justine Samson, Pio Del Rio, Warren Tuaño

Screenplay: Jerry Gracio, Khavn, Achinette Villamor

Cinematographer: Albert Banzon

Editor: Carlo Francisco Manatad

Music: Khavn

Sound: Stephen Lopez

Production Design: Zeus Bascon, Timmy Harn, Marija Vicente

Synopsis:

Balangiga, 1901. Eight-year-old Kulas and his grandfather Apoy Buroy flee town on the eve of the massacre, bringing with them a carabao, a chicken, and various provisions. Though they stick to the outskirts to avoid the Americans wreaking vengeance on the town, they find carnage wherever they go, eventually discovering a toddler screaming beside the bodies of his dead parents. Kulas ignores his grandfather's refusal to take the child with them and names him Bola.

Misfortune after misfortune befall the traveling group. Their chicken and their carabao dies. Kulas’ grandfather succumbs to a snake bite. Later Bola grows weak from disease and malnutrition and dies. Kulas continues his journey weaker, sadder, less interested in making it out of town alive. But as he stood waiting for death to come take him too, he sees their dead carabao, Melchora, flying. He runs after it. Rain begins to fall. Kulas drinks, dancing in joy as he plunges after Melchora who flies across the sky like a star, leading him deeper and deeper into the forest.