If for whatever reason the International Criminal Court (ICC) acquits former president Rodrigo Duterte, the Filipino people can rest assured that history will not absolve him from his crimes against humanity. Thanks to the abundance of evidence that documents his direct responsibility for the widespread and systematic extrajudicial killings during his term, both as mayor of Davao City and president of the country.
Like documentaries, feature films play a vital role in preserving history by vividly portraying real-life events and issues. Years from now, when disinformation has further taken its toll, these films will serve as a reminder of Duterte’s reign of terror that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of poor Filipinos in the name of the drug war.
Big Night! (2021)
Directed by Jun Robles Lana, this black comedy counters the narrative that law-abiding citizens had nothing to worry about the government’s anti-drug campaign. It follows the day-long journey of Dharna, a gay beautician, as he tries to get his name off the dreaded watch list, witnessing first-hand the madness of the bogus war on drugs.
Watch Big Night!’s trailer on YouTube.
Neomanila (2017)
Acclaimed for its atmospheric cinematography and cutthroat realism, this neo-noir thriller by Mikhail Red was inspired by a BBC story about a young woman who allegedly carried out “contract killings as part of the government-sanctioned war on drugs.” Viewed through the lens of gunman, the film delves into the state-sponsored violence that has turned Manila into a slaughterhouse.
Watch Neomanila’s trailer on YouTube.
Respeto (2017)
Drawing inspiration from the works of renowned poets like Vim Nadera and National Artists Virgilio Almario and Bienvenido Lumbera, director Treb Monteras and screenwriter Njel de Mesa beautifully weave the story of Hendrix, a poor aspiring rapper caught in a life of petty crime, as he forms an unlikely bond with Doc, an old poet haunted by his activist days during martial law. The film draws clear parallels between the Marcos fascist dictatorship and the Duterte regime.
Watch Respeto’s trailer on YouTube.
Watch List (2019)
Like most EJK-themed films under the Duterte administration, Ben Rekhi’s Watch List is set in the slums of Manila, depicting the dehumanizing conditions of urban poor, who are subjected to summary execution for being suspected as drug pushers or users. It exposes how the police used the ‘nanlaban’ narrative to justify the killings of drug suspects, whom the police were instructed to encourage to fight back.
Watch Watch List’s trailer on YouTube.
Engkwentro (2009)
15 years before Mr. Duterte admitted before the Senate that he kept a death squad as Davao City mayor to curb criminality, Pepe Diokno, in his directorial debut, delivered a gritty portrayal of the city’s underbelly, which had become a hunting ground for vigilantes, collectively known as the Davao Death Squad (DDS).
Watch Engkwentro’s trailer on YouTube.
