Bitter Melon, is an independent 2018 American dark comedy film written and directed by H.P. Mendoza. It debuted at the 2018 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and was released theatrically by ABS-CBN on December 7, 2018 and on home video by Gravitas Ventures on October 1, 2019. The film's title refers to the tropical vegetable with a bitter flavor known in the Philippines as ampalaya.The screenplay was based on Mendoza's experiences with physical abuse in his nuclear family as well as his extended family, originally written in 1997 under the title He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother based on the song by The Hollies.On December 11, 2019, Bitter Melon was named one of "The 20 Best Bay Area Movies of the Decade" by The Mercury News after having placed on numerous "Best of 2018" lists.