More than 200 people attended the event, including officials and staff from NYU Abu Dhabi, officials and faculty members from Philippine schools in Abu Dhabi, leaders and members of Filipino community organizations, members of the media, and officers and staff of the Embassy and Philippine Consulate General in Dubai.

Mr. Joseph Israel Laban, an award-winning Filipino filmmaker and a graduate of New York University in New York in documentary filmmaking, introduced the film and received questions from the audience after the screening.

The film “Nuwebe” is the actual story of one of the youngest mothers in Philippine history. It is based on the real-life events of Krista, who was just nine years old when she became pregnant. Her mother believes that she was impregnated by malevolent supernatural creatures called “nuno sa punso” but the real story will prove to be more complicated than it seems.

The movie was also one of the selected films featured at the 2013 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Since its release in August 2013, it has been screened in more than 20 international film festivals including the 2013 Montreal World Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Exground Film Festival, among others. It also competed at the 2013 Harlem International Film Festival where it was nominated for Best World Feature and it clinched the Best Actress award for 9-year old child actress Barbara Miguel, the youngest winner in its history. “Nuwebe” also won the Youth Jury’s Mention of Honor at the 2013 Festival International Lume de Cinema in Brazil and Special Mention Certificate from the 2013 Festival Internacional de Cine Puebla in Mexico and Best Director (Honorable Mention), 2014 Queens World Film Festival where it was also nominated for Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Narrative Feature. It was screened at the Goteborg International Film Festival, Black Movie Geneva Independent Film Festival, Pune International Film Festival and the Aurangabad International Film Festival so far this year.

Ms. Jennifer Roth who is an adviser of the Film and New Media Department (FNMD), New York University Abu Dhabi and a film producer, mentioned that the “movie is worth showing and watching since it tells of things that the society must be socially aware of.”

After the screening of the film, a sumptuous dinner buffet for the audience was hosted by the New York University. END