ASWANG
Mahalaga ang dokumentaryong Aswang dahil tinangka nitong habiin ang mga tinig sa laylayan ng war on drugs, ang mga ordinaryong sityo at tauhan sa bawat kaso ng pagpaslang o extra-judicial killing (EJK) na nagaganap gabi-gabi sa bawat sulok ng bansa, at sa sampu-sampung libong kabuuang naganap at sinasabing nagaganap hanggang sa kasalukuyan na tinabunan lamang ito ng panibagong pabigat na health emergency misgovernance sa pandemiko.
Rolando B. Tolentino
A THOUSAND CUTS
For Filipinos who have been living with fear, disgust, and anger under the shadow of Duterte’s murderous war on drugs, his wanton and unconstitutional suppression of free speech, and his deadly war on journalists and the truth, this Ramona Diaz documentary on Maria Ressa and Rappler’s relentless struggle to expose the abuses of the regime comes as a much-needed ray of hope, a source of enlightenment, and a call to reaffirm one’s commitment to truth and democracy.
Nicanor Tiongson
A THOUSAND CUTS
Ramona S. Diaz’s latest documentary, “A Thousand Cuts”, uncovers how Maria Ressa, founder and CEO of Rappler news organization and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize awardee, hurdles the legal, ethical and technology challenges hurled at her by a conspiring army of authoritarian political leaders, beholden government agencies, and rabid social media trolls.
Mike Rapatan
A HOUSE IN PIECES
Ang tanong ay paano muling itatayo ang bahay kung ang labi na lamang nito ay mga pira-pirasong bahagi? O kung hindi pa pinapahintulutang muling itayo ang bahay? Itong tanong hinggil sa mga nangabuwag na bahay at kahalintulad sa mas malaking tanong tungkol sa nabuwag na Marawi City.
Rolando B. Tolentino
HAYOP KA!
Sa Hayop Ka, ang syudad na familiar lalo na sa taga-Metro Manila ay binigyan-buhay bilang mundong iinugan ng kwento ng isang dispatsadorang breadwinner sa pamilya na may kasing uri na boyfriend at walang sigla ang kanilang romansa, at nagkaroon ng pagkakataon para sa rurok ng pinapangarap niyang romansa nang pumasok ang isang mayamang negosyante kaedad niya. Pusa ang dispatsadora, malaking aso ang boyfriend at lobo (wolf) ang negosyante.
Rolando B. Tolentino
LAHI, HAYOP
Lav Diaz’s Lahi, Hayop may be a typical journeyman story where the journey itself leads to an epiphany or a powerful self-realization. In this case however, Baldo, Paulo and Andres are miners who live off a daily income, become prey to various levels of exploitation from each other, especially, from their superiors. The landscape of exploitation is revealed at the onset, in their daily conversations where they have accepted their fate and that their bosses are hell bent on extracting their own resources.
Gary Devilles
MASTERPIECE
Januar Yap and Kristoffer Villarino’s Masterpiece is a short documentary that recounts the artistic transformation of the ceiling of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Bantayan, Cebu. Inspired by his visits to European churches, parish priest Fr. Joselito “Joy” Danao shares how he sought the help of artist Aris Avelino Pastor who painted the murals of a restobar in Panagdait and commissioned him to take charge of his grand project.
Mike Rapatan
WATCH LIST
Watch List may be critical of the drug campaign being enforced by the government, but surely it does not condone drugs. And neither is it sympathetic toward drug users. What it is trying to say is that there must be a better way to eradicate the drug problem without the unnecessary loss of lives. It is also a sad commentary on the breakdown of the country’s justice system.
Butch Francisco
WATCH LIST
Rona Lean Sales and Rekhi’s screenplay studiously charts Maria’s dehumanization as a cog in the State’s violent machinery of extra-judicial killings. She is either hyperfeminized by wearing a tawdry blond wig disguise in one of her missions or defeminized, made to merge with and appear indistinct from hooded and masked motorcycle-riding gunmen who prowl the city’s backstreets and alleys.
Mike Rapatan
The aforementioned films were the nominees for Best Picture, Best Documentary, Best Animation at the 44th Gawad Urian in 2021.
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