Author: Kurt Manzano

It was exciting for Cinemalaya to finally include a documentary in their lineup, with She Andes’ Maria. As much as the intention was genuine and necessary especially when thousands of lives lost to the brutal drug war are still in search of justice, Maria kept the echo chamber of Duterte and Marcos critics intact by…

https://philstarlife.com/geeky/508202-cinemalaya-2023-a-year-of-firsts-very-personal-narratives

MANILA — Widows and mothers are at the “heart” of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war.

“Maria” is the first full-length documentary in Cinemalaya. In the Philippines, with limited civic and democratic space amid a culture of impunity, three women named Maria are on the journey to seek truth and fight for justice.

The documentary by Andes follows three women named Maria after the bloodbath of Duterte’s drug war: a staunch supporter turned victim, a wife mother fighting for their rights, and a woman (Vice President Leni Robredo) who became a beacon of hope.

NUPL lawyer Kristina Conti is promoting the Cinemalaya film entry, “Maria” ahead of its start on Saturday.

Cinemalaya 2023 promises an exciting line-up of new full-length and short films from Filipino filmmakers, anchoring on its festival theme “ilumiNasyon” (a portmanteau of illumination and “nasyon” or nation) that puts the focus “on issues that shape our times while capturing the audience imagination” through new stories and perspectives.

Mapúan filmmakers have once again made a remarkable impact on the Philippine cinema scene as their films take center stage in the prestigious 19th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. This event serves as a platform to discover, encourage, and support the exceptional cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.