"The Forgotten War,” an independent motion picture by new filmmaker Carlo C. Cruz documenting the heroism of Filipino soldiers who served as part of the UN contingent to the Korean War in the 1950s will have a gala premiere at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Little Theater today, June 9, at 7 p.m.

The epic film, which received praises in Seoul, South Korea when it premiered at the National Theater of Korea recently, tells the true story of Filipino soldiers and their heroism in contributing to efforts to help South Korea overcome Communism. History refers to the war as “The Forgotten War” because it was a major conflict of the 20th century that was overshadowed by the World War II, which preceded it, and Vietnam War, which succeeded it.

The movie is top-billed by Baron Geisler, Yul Servo, Kyla Lapus, Lance Raymundo, Arnold Reyes, Mcoy Fundales, Mikey Lee, Shaun Rodriguez, and Blumark Roces, and was written by Elmer Gatchalian. Fundales, former vocalist of the defunct band Orange and Lemons who is now with a new group Kenyo, also wrote the movie theme “Alay ng Alaala.”

Cruz, a Film and Television graduate of Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia, took interest in creating the movie as very little has been told about the 7,000 Filipino soldiers who risked their lives to defend South Korea from the oppression of the Communist North.

“The only evidence of it is on the back of the 500-peso bill, in an article that Ninoy Aquino wrote when he was a war correspondent in Korea, when he was 17 years old,” Cruz said. Interestingly, former President Fidel Ramos also fought in the Korean War as a military officer.

For more information about the gala premiere, e-mail Smoke and Mirrors Entertainment at smokeandmirrors.entertainment@gmail.com. The event is by special invitation only.