{{italic title}} {{Use Philippine English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox film | name = Batang West Side | image = Batang West Side 2001 movie poster.png | caption = Official movie poster | director = Lav Diaz | writer = Lav Diaz | producer = Joey Gosiengfiao | starring = {{plainlist| * Yul Servo * Joel Torre * Gloria Diaz * Angel Aquino}} | cinematography = Miguel V. Fabie III | editing = Ron Dale | music = Joey Ayala | studio = {{plainlist| * JMCN Productions * Hinabing Pangarap Productions}} | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2001|12||Cinemanila}} | runtime = 315 minutes | country = Philippines | language = {{plainlist| * Filipino * Tagalog * English}} }} '''''Batang West Side''''' (also known as '''''West Side Avenue''''' and '''''West Side Kid''''') 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scheib |first=Ronnie |date=July 31, 2022 |title=Batang West Side |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/batang-west-side-1200547032/ |access-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=West Side Avenue |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303720/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=IMDb}}</ref> The film gives an inside look at the life of Filipinos in America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Batang West Side |url=https://www.hkw.de/en/programm/projekte/veranstaltung/p_4847.php |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=HKW|date=November 11, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Fantauzzo |first=Laurel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=czSWDwAAQBAJ&dq=Batang+West+Side+film&pg=PT58 |title=The First Impulse |date=October 20, 2017 |publisher=Anvil Publishing, Inc. |isbn=978-621-420-144-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Lucia |first1=Cynthia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6rUyDwAAQBAJ&dq=Batang+West+Side+film&pg=PA128 |title=Cineaste on Film Criticism, Programming, and Preservation in the New Millennium |last2=Hamid |first2=Rahul |date=November 1, 2017 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-1-4773-1343-5 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Batang West Side |url=https://harvardfilmarchive.org/calendar/batang-west-side-2015-04 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=Harvard Film Archive |language=en}}</ref> With this murder mystery set against the idea of the American Dream, Filipino director Lav Diaz broke into the worldwide arthouse film market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BATANG WEST SIDE |url=http://americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/batang-west-side-0 |access-date=May 1, 2022 |website=American Cinematheque}}</ref>
==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 == * Yul Servo as Hanzel Harana * Joel Torre as Juan Mijares * Gloria Diaz as Lolita Fordham * Angel Aquino as Elvira Pareño
==Release== ''Batang West Side'' was restored in 2015 by the Austrian Film Museum.<ref name="rolling stone ph">{{cite web |last1=Jaucian |first1=Don |title=New ‘Batang West Side’ Trailer Drops Ahead of North American Release |url=https://rollingstonephilippines.com/culture/film-tv/batang-west-side-trailer-north-american-release/ |website=Rolling Stone Philippines |access-date=28 December 2025}}</ref> The restoration was later picked up by Kani Releasing for a North American theatrical release in April 2025 as part of its 25th anniversary.<ref name="rolling stone ph" /> About the re-release, Kani Releasing co-founder Ariel Esteban Cayer added: "Our goal was to make the film more widely available and put it back in the theaters, where the conditions are ideal for it, as it is five hours long. People who love ''Batang West Side'' have managed to see it in various ways throughout the years, but I hope giving it an official re-release outside of Austria elevates its profile even more, which is a great honor to work on."<ref name="rolling stone ph" /> Kani later released the film on Blu-ray.<ref>{{cite web |title=Batang West Side |url=https://www.kani-releasing.com/film/batang-west-side/mAG0UWOl5CZxVh |website=Kani Releasing |access-date=28 December 2025}}</ref>
== 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).<ref name="rolling stone ph" /> It won Best Picture at the Singapore International Film Festival and the Belgium Independent Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAtwAAAAMAAJ&q=Batang+West+Side+Singapore+international+film+festival |title=The Philippines Yearbook |date=2007 |publisher=Fookien Times |isbn=978-971-0503-50-6 |language=en}}</ref>
== See also == * List of longest films
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|0303720}}
{{Lav Diaz}}
Category:2001 films Category:2001 crime drama films Category:Philippine coming-of-age films Category:Philippine coming-of-age drama films Category:Philippine crime films Category:Philippine drama films Category:2000s Tagalog-language films Category:2001 Philippine films Category:Films set in New Jersey Category:Films shot in New Jersey Category:2001 English-language films Category:Films directed by Lav Diaz Category:English-language crime drama films