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Batang West Side

Batang West Side is a 2001 Philippine crime film. The film written and directed by Lav Diaz based on his 1997 Palanca Award winning screenplay. Its cast includes Gloria Diaz, Raul Arellano, Joel Torre and Angel Aquino. The film gives an inside look at the life of Filipinos in America. With this murder mystery set against the idea of the American Dream, Filipino director Lav Diaz broke into the worldwide arthouse film market.

Synopsis
One winter night, Hanzel, a Filipino teenager immigrant has been fatally shot on West Side Avenue, New Jersey. Detective Mijares is assigned to investigate the teen's murder. As the investigation continues, he unravels not only the death of Hanzel but also the struggles of Filipino-American community including the destructive effects of methamphetamine on the youth. == Cast ==
Cast
Yul Servo as Hanzel Harana • Joel Torre as Juan Mijares • Gloria Diaz as Lolita Fordham • Angel Aquino as Elvira Pareño ==Release==
Release
Batang West Side was restored in 2015 by the Austrian Film Museum. The restoration was later picked up by Kani Releasing for a North American theatrical release in April 2025 as part of its 25th anniversary. == Accolades ==
Accolades
The film won several awards at the Urian Honors, including Best Picture, Best Director (Lav Diaz), Best Screenplay (Lav Diaz), Best Cinematography, Best Actor (Joel Torre), Best Supporting Actress (Gloria Diaz), Best Supporting Actor, Best Production Design, Best Sound, and Best Score (Joey Ayala). == See also ==
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