Ang Araw sa Likod Mo (The Sun Behind You) PG -2017

Alabang Town Center Cinema 4

Inspired by the real stories of Special Operations soldiers in the country known as the Philippine Scout Rangers, “Ang Araw sa Likod Mo” is an intense film filled with raw action that introduces brothers Jamiluddin (Cabrera) and Omar (Liwag) along with Sgt. Benjie Calayan (Medina) within the terrorist infested island in southern Philippines. (source)
Tagline: “Bawa’t Paninindigan, May Kapalit.” (Every conviction demands a sacrifice).
Earth Below Productions/OverMind

ANG ARAW SA LIKOD MO(The Sun Behind You), Written and Directed by Dominic Carlo P. Nuesa, is a very timely critically acclaimed and award winning film.  

Nuesa is a very fair writer.  Whether he sides with anyone or not, the film shows the travails of all sides.  The actors were not acting at all.  The soldiers looked and acted like real soldiers. 

Ping Medina(Sgt. Benjie Calayan), like his Father, Pen, and his brother, Alex, is a true thespian.  He digs deeply into the character and becomes the character.

I think this is my first time to "meet" Mike Liwag(I know a person with this name, but he is not the one I am describing).  He is good.  He looks older than his character, but I think it's because of his supposedly rigid training(mind, physique, etc.) in Indonesia, he matured.  Anyways, I am digressing.  He too became Omar.  Yes, he is Omar.  A young man very serious in his faith.  He believes he is fighting for a good cause.

Bong Cabrera is the central character in this movie. His eyes are very expressive.  During his dance at his wedding, he really looked like a man in love.  He also seemed genuinely concerned for Omar. He was always nervous, especially when he was leading the Philippine Scout Rangers to his uncle, Ashan Kasaran(Bernard Laxa), and it showed. Yes, he indeed became Jamil.  He is Jamil. He was Jamil. 

Not to discount the rest, but for me not fill up space, let me just generalise... everyone did good. Yes.  EVERYone.

*****
Please stay and listen to a couple of the Bakwits after the movie ends

Whenever there's a war, no one truly wins and the greatest losers are the innocent bystanders and other civilian casualties.  Even without participating in the planning of the war, they are caught in the crossfire.  Who is the real enemy?

In the case of our Muslim brethren in Mindanao, they are forced to leave their homes to become BAKWIT(Evacuees) because those who claim to fight a Holy War don't even pray to Allah for strength and purpose.  This movie is dedicated to all innocent Muslims caught in between the crossfires because people who claim to be Jihadists are actually not fighting a Holy War, but instead, they are bandits who steal, kill, destroy and whatever else.  Pardon me, but for lack of a better term or phrase or description, I think they are giving true Jihadists(and the rest of the Muslims) a bad name.

This movie is also dedicated to the unsung heroes(in this movie, the Philippine Army Scout Rangers---#HeroFoundation---Help, Educate and Rear Orphans Foundation Inc.) whose families even get frazzled if they seemingly forget a special occasion not knowing that they risk their lives EVERYday for the greater good.

The Qibla (Arabic: قبلة‎‎‎, "direction"), also transliterated as Qiblah, Qibleh, Kiblah, Kıble or Kibla, is the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays during salah prayers. It is fixed as the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. Most mosques contain a wall niche, known as mihrab, that indicates the Qiblah.

Glossary of terms and phrases(some of the words and phrases in the movie---click link to learn more):

Allāhu akbar-  God is the Greatest

Fatwa- A legal ruling by a mujtahid or a mufti on an issue of Sharia law; this can include the proclamation of death sentences for religious offences.

InShaAllah (Arabic: إن شاء الله‎‎, ʾin shāʾallāhu; pronounced [ʔɪn ʃaːʔ ɑɫˈlɑh]), also in sha Allah or insha'Allah, is the Arabic language expression for "God willing" or "if God wills".

Jafra- A holy prayer(Salah) of praise to Allah while the sun is behind (this is the reason for the title) the person praying.  The person prostrates to the ground

Jihad- Holy War (click link for a more extensive explanation_

Mujahid/Mujahideen-An active fighter/fighters or warrior/warriors in the cause of Allah

Munafiq- Traitor/Hypocrite

• An Initial Lexicon of Islamic and Jihadist Terminology
• Internationally acclaimed advocacy film ‘Ang Araw Sa Likod Mo’ opens in cinemas nationwide
• Facebook Page of Ang Araw sa Likod Mo

• Advocacy film ‘Ang Araw Sa Likod Mo’
• ‘Ang Araw sa Likod Mo’ Review: Sobering advocacy
• “Ang Araw sa Likod Mo” highly-recommended movie for students