To make a documentary that even slightly questions a powerful figure can easily become messy, facing roadblocks, backlash, or even outright censorship. In the worst-case scenario, filmmakers may face severe consequences, ranging from legal threats to outright disappearances.
Such was the case with the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, an unflinchingly honest look at the violent conflict between Israel and Palestine. On March 24, Hamdan Ballal, one of the documentary’s Palestinian co-directors, was brutally beaten by Israeli settlers and later arrested by Israeli forces. Although authorities have not linked Ballal’s arrest to No Other Land, his co-directors have stated that the increased attention surrounding the documentary has made them all targets. “We came back from the Oscars, and every day since, there is an attack on us,” co-director Basel Adra told the Associated Press. “This might be their revenge on us for making the movie. It feels like a punishment.”
In the Philippines, filmmakers are no strangers to similar challenges. Filipino-made documentaries that expose any difficult truth within the country can be met with significant pushback. Nonetheless, many continue to create boundary-pushing films, undeterred. With that, and in no particular order, Rolling Stone Philippines has rounded up six documentaries that not only confront powerful narratives in the Philippines but also highlight the resilience of filmmakers willing to risk everything for the truth.
Lost Sabungeros (2024)
Dubbed by some as “the most controversial documentary film of 2024,” Lost Sabungeros is a provocative film that ignites as much debate as it uncovers. Directed by Bryan Kristoffer J. Brazil, the documentary delves into the mysterious disappearances of 34 sabungeros (or cockfighters) between April 2021 and January 2022, shedding light on the unsettling truths behind their vanishing.
The production team behind Lost Sabungeros faced significant challenges due to the sensitive and dangerous nature of the subject matter. Filming the documentary required building trust with the families of the missing sabungeros, who were concerned about their safety and security. Tensions ran high as interviewees felt they were being watched, and the filmmakers themselves felt their safety was at risk.
Citing vague “security concerns,” the festival committee behind the 2024 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival canceled Lost Sabungeros’ premiere just days before it was scheduled to screen. However, due to overwhelming public support and demand, the screening was eventually rescheduled, and the film made its global debut at the QCinema International Film Festival.
Alipato at Muog (2024)
Alipato at Muog focuses on the 2007 abduction of activist Jonas Burgos and the subsequent efforts to uncover the truth behind his disappearance. Directed by Burgos’s younger brother JL, Alipato at Muog shows the heartbreak following the activist’s abduction, from conversations with Burgos’s mother Edita, his wife and children, and the farmers Burgos helped organize to reclaim their land.
Initially rated X by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for allegedly undermining ‘the faith and confidence of the people in their government,’ Alipato at Muog faced a public viewing ban. However, after an appeal from Burgos and executive director Mona Nieva, coupled with strong public backing — including the Concerned Artists of the Philippines condemning the X rating as “blatant state censorship” — the MTRCB reclassified the film to R-16. The film won the Special Jury Award (Full-length Film Category) at the 2024 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.
Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea (2025)
Directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, the Filipino filmmaker behind the award-winning documentary Sunday Beauty Queen, Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea follows Filipino fishermen, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Navy as they navigate the contested waters of the West Philippine Sea to deliver essential food supplies to nearby communities.
Although it was initially scheduled to premiere at the PureGold CinePanalo Film Festival on March 14, the documentary was removed from the festival just two days before the event. Villarama, along with festival director Chris Cahilig, issued a joint statement regarding the pullout, but the exact reason for the decision was not disclosed. “It feels like history repeating itself — a déjà vu [for] artists suppressed during different times in our history,” Villarama told Rolling Stone Philippines. “We’re not even under foreign rule now, but clearly, the pressure is already there.”
As of writing, the documentary has yet to announce a theatrical release.
Asog (2023)
Blending documentary and dramatic comedy, Asog follows Rey, a non-binary teacher and comedian whose life is transformed after Typhoon Yolanda. Determined to travel the country and compete in a drag pageant, Rey embarks on a road trip with Arnel, a student heading in the same direction to find his family.
Beneath the docudrama’s road trip narrative is the story of the 6,000 families who were displaced from their homes on the island of Sicogon due to the typhoon. When the residents attempted to return, they discovered that the Sicogon Development Corp (SIDECO) and Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) had allegedly attempted to prevent their return, asserting ownership of the land’s underlying rights.
Despite being showcased at prestigious global festivals like Cannes and Tribeca, Asog saw only one local screening at Ayala Malls Manila Bay as part of the 2024 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. The film’s production team — including Filipino-Canadian filmmaker Seán Devlin and co-producer Alan Cumming — released a statement on social media arguing that the film’s Philippine screening had been sabotaged. Reports emerged of the Ayala-owned cinema failing to list a screening schedule on their ticketing site, while staff falsely claimed the movie was sold out to deter ticket sales.
In 2021, ALI and SIDECO signed an agreement that promised to meet the Sicogon residents’ demands. This included 33 hectares of agricultural land for the residents, $559 K in livelihood relief, and funding for the construction of 784 new homes. According to ALI, disbursement of the funds to the community began in 2021 and is still ongoing.
A Thousand Cuts (2020)
A Thousand Cuts follows Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa as she, along with her publication Rappler, investigates thousands of government-sanctioned murders allegedly connected to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs” campaign. Nominated for the Best Documentary at the 2021 Gawad Urian Awards, A Thousand Cuts sheds an important light on the state of journalism, free speech, and justice in the Philippines. The film is about the escalating threats to press freedom in the Philippines, highlighting Ressa’s legal battles, including multiple arrests and a cyber libel conviction in June 2020. It also examines the pervasive spread of disinformation on social media platforms and its impact on democracy.
Aswang (2019)
Aswang is a daring investigation into the impoverished communities of Manila that were most affected by Duterte’s war on drugs. Director Alyx Ayn G. Arumpac drew inspiration from the mythological aswang, a vampire-like creature that preys on people in the dark. Arumpac presents a stark portrayal of the devastation caused by ruthless death squads, showcasing the bodies, victims, and widespread destruction they left behind. This debut feature paints a grim picture of a nation in the midst of a human rights crisis, highlighting the rising death toll during that time (around 1,000 per month), firsthand accounts from victims’ families, and an uncompromising look at Manila’s poverty and social injustices. The documentary went on to win a number of awards, including Best Picture at the 44th Gawad Urian Awards in 2021.
