The poignant story of an elderly gay man who discovers too late that it is alright to be who he is, Bwakaw is highlighted by some excellent scenes of comic relief. My favorite comes when Rene (played by then-82-year-old Eddie Garcia) is called into the local mortuary and told that because it is going out of business he must take home the coffin he purchased during a summer discount sale. Rene is afraid that his nosy neighbor will find out, so he has it delivered at midnight. Once it is inside his house, he tries it out… and falls asleep. It isn’t hard to guess what happens next, but it’s still funny. Rene has prepared so carefully for his own death that he has already packed up most of his possessions with labels telling who they go to, and he makes frequent visits to the local priest, using the confessional to officially alter the terms of his will. Bwakaw, by the way, is the name of Rene’s beloved dog.
