The critically acclaimed psychological drama Anino sa Likod ng Buwan is set to make its return to the stage on March 1 – 23, 2025, at the PETA Theater Center. This marks a significant moment for the play, originally written by Jun Robles Lana in 1993, as it comes full circle from its award-winning origins to a film adaptation and now back to the theatrical spotlight.
The upcoming stage production of Anino sa Likod ng Buwan will be directed by theater director and set designer Tuxqs Rutaquio. This revival will serve as the inaugural presentation of IdeaFirst Live!, the newly established theater division of The IdeaFirst Company.
The 2025 cast includes Martin del Rosario as Joel, Elora Españo as Emma, and Ross Pesigan as Nardo. Understudies include Edward Benosa (Joel), Denise Esteban (Emma), and Vincent Pajara (Nardo).
Emma and Nardo are refugees living in an unnamed town that has been ravaged by the armed conflict between Philippine military and communist insurgents. Joel, an army soldier, regularly brings food to the couple, and has been bonding with them through nightly visits for card games and mindless banter. One evening, as a lunar eclipse is about to take place, Emma, Nardo, and Joel engage yet again in another game of cards. But the game slowly descends into a tension-filled conversation about politics and friendship, love and lust, trust and betrayal.
The one-act play was first recognized when it won first prize in the Bulwagang Gantimpala Playwriting Contest. It was later staged that same year by Bulwagang Gantimpala and the Artistang Artlets of the University of Santo Tomas. Anino sa Likod ng Buwan revolves around three characters—Emma, her husband Nardo, and their friend Joel, a soldier—whose lives become entangled in a web of politics, love, and betrayal amid the backdrop of military operations in Marag Valley in the early 1990s.
In 2015, Jun Robles Lana adapted his work into a film with the same title (Shadow Behind the Moon). Starring LJ Reyes as Emma, Anthony Falcon as Nardo, and Luis (now Adrian) Alandy as Joel, the film received recognition from critics and film festivals.
The film won multiple awards, including Best Director, Best Actress, and the FIPRESCI and NETPAC Awards at the Pacific Meridian International Film Festival of Asia. It also earned Lana the Best Director award at the Kerala International Film Festival, while LJ Reyes received the Best Actress award at the Gawad Urian. Additionally, the film garnered an Independent Camera nomination at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Despite its success, Shadow Behind the Moon is not available on any streaming platform. Its most recent screening was in April 2024 at ENLIGHTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival at Gateway Cineplex. It was briefly available on Vivamax but is currently inaccessible.
CinemaBravo 
Leave a Reply