The catalogue of documentary films that are part of the Daang Dokyu are ready for viewing since October 2 until November 5, 2020 only. Read more to find out the roster of films per themes.
DAANG DOKYU is back since it’s official run last September 21 through its 3-day opening program. And since it’s officially film festival season, Daang Dokyu has grabbed the opportune chance to showcase nearly 45 films of the past one-hundred years of film including the rerun of some titles presented during the opening program themed Martial Law, Never Again.
Marcos: A Malignant Spirit; Mendiola Massacre, and A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution are screening October 9 to 15. Alunsina reruns from October 30 to November 5. While Alyx Arumpac’s
award-winning film Aswang, fresh from its latest win at the 12th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, also returns.
Aswang highlights the fest’s Halloween special entitled “HuwagMatakot” screening from October 31 to November 2. It will also be presented from October 9 to 15.
Daang Dokyu is initiated by the Filipino Documentary Society (FilDocs), founded by documentary filmmakers Jewel Maranan, Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, Baby Ruth Villarama, and Coreen Jimenez.
Read: Daang Dokyu, A Celebration of Filipino Stories
The festival is made possible with the support and partnership of the Office of House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, UP Film Institute and Probe Media Foundation.
Philippine Premieres
The 1929 film Glimpses of the Culion Leper Colony and of Culion Life by Merl La Voy will premiere from October 2 to 8. This film, acquired by FilDocs from the British Film Institute archives, is an American military commissioned video that gives an idealized portrayal of life in the Culion Leper colony in Palawan under American rule.
Here are the four other films to premiere during the festival:
- Bullet-Laced Dreams by Kristoffer Brugada and Charena Escala on October 2 to 8. The film tells the stories of the Lumad children fleeing military rule and transferring from place to place just to continue their schooling;
- Dreaming in the Red Light (2019) by Pabelle Manikan on October 16 to 22 is the story of a mother who used to work in the Red Light district of Angeles City;
- A House in Pieces (2020) by Jean Claire Dy and Manuel Domes on October 23 to 29 is about the struggle of Marawi residents in rebuilding their homes and lives after the Marawi siege;
- We Still Have to Close Our Eyes (2019) by John Torres on October 30 to November 5 is an uncanny narrative about human avatars controlled by apps using repurposed footage from the sets of Filipino film productions.
Daang Dokyu Sections
The five-week main program is divided into five sections, each tackling vital issues of today.
“The Daang Dokyu program celebrates documentary films for the many ways we can enjoy and appreciate them — as an art form, as a reflection of social issues and realities, as entertainment, as a tool for education or as springboards for advocacy. Watching the programs on our virtual cinema will be like being on a fascinating educational tour full of discoveries for anyone willing to dive into it with an open mind. We offer five weeks of free access to this rare and wide array of films from 1914 to 2020, portraying multiple and diverse facets of the Filipino story, shattering old myths and illusions, and opening new ways of thinking. We selected these films from more than 300 titles, some literally had to be lifted from their hiding places and now we hope that people will take advantage” explains Maranan.
Week 1: October 2 to 8 is the Ecology section in which films are curated with the theme “Ang Lahat ng Bagay ay Magkakaugnay”. It puts together documentaries that spotlight environmental issues, indigenous people and local communities in the face of colonization, tragedies, calamities.
The following are the films showcased for the said week only:
- Native Life in the Philippines by Dean Worcester, a controversial documentary of Philippine tribes used by Worcester, a former American official and landlord in the Philippines, to campaign against the granting of Philippine independence.
- Kidlat Tahimik’s Balikbayan #1: Memories of Overdevelopment Redux VI (2017)
- Howie Severino’s Pagbabalik Sa Tribo (1999)
- Jose Cuaresma, Frederico Espiritu, B. Libres, R. Gruta, and L. Fisher’s Sabangan (1983)
- Grace Simbulan’s Dam Nation (2019)
- Summer Bastian’s Siyanan (2017)
- Pinatubo: Pagbangon Mula sa Abo (2011) narrated by Noli de Castro
- Francis Solajes’ Balud (2014)
- Joanna Arong’s Ang Pagpakalma Sa Unos (2020)
- Kiri Dalena’s Tungkung Langit (2013)
- Jin Takaiwa’s The War We Were Not Taught About (1994)
- Atom Araullo’s Bird Hunt (2019).
Week 2: This section is called Nation with the theme “Perception is Real, Truth is Not” where stories featured here are focused on politics, nationhood, and myth-making.
- Aswang,
- Marcos: A Malignant Spirit,
- Mendiola Massacre,
- A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution
- Yanan (2013) by Mae Caralde
- May Istorya nga Tayo, Patay Naman Tayo (2001) by Howie Severino
- Sa Mga Mata ng Balita: The Birth of Philippine TV, The News and Many Firsts, Unos at Puntos sa Bagong Milenyo (2003) by Ricardo Trofeo
- Tupada ’92: The Philippines in the Year of the Elections (1995) by Fruto Corre
- Maid in Singapore (2004) by Clodualdo Del Mundo, Jr.
- Queer Transnational Love in the Time of Social Media and Globalization (2017) by Adrian Alarilla
- The Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of The United Farm Workers Movement (2014) by Marissa Aroy.
The Taboo section streams from October 16 to 22.Here, Daang Dokyu presents stories from intimate and difficult spaces.
- Dreaming in the Red Light
- Wena Sanchez’ All Grown Up (2018)
- Beverly Ramos’ Dory (2017)
- Nick Deocampo’s Oliver (1983)
- ABS-CBN News’ Invisible (2019)
- Cheche Lazaro’s Mga Batang Mandirigma (2004)
Also presented in this section is Documented (2013), which will be streaming only for 72 hours, from October 16 to 19. The film is by Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
For the Localities section, Filipino identities and regional cultures are the focus. From October 23 to 29, 2020.
- A House in Pieces, A is for Agustin (2019) by Grace Simbulan
- Walang Rape sa Bontok (2014) by Mark Lester Valle and Carla Pulido Ocampo
- Gilubong ang Akon Pusod sa Dagat (2011) by Martha Atienza
- Himurasak (2017) by Francis Solajes
- Ang Pagbabalik ng Bituin (2012) by Sherbien Dacalanio
- Budots: The Craze (2019) by Jay Rosas and Mark Limbaga;
- Panicupan (2016) by Bagane Fiola.
Finally, from October 30 to November 5, Daang Dokyu presents the section Future with the theme “Ganito Tayo Ngayon, Paano Sila Bukas”. This is about explorations of new and unseen territories in filmmaking and social change.
Here, Jet Leyco’s For My Alien Friend (2019); Manuel Mesina III’s Beastmode: A Social Experiment (2018); We Still Have to Close Our Eyes; and Tad Ermitaño’s Retrochronological Transfer of Information (1994) are included.
Aside from the titles above, there will also be streaming of some of the documentaries that have been aired on television and are recommended for the festival by festival partners and the leading news and journalism organizations in the country. These partners are GMA Network, ABS-CBN, Probe Productions, Rappler, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will also be streamed.
Q&As, talkbacks, industry sessions, and master classes are also part of the festival. It is also launching as part of the festival a “Dok,” a collection and recollection of histories and stories, as well as views and interviews, centered on the rich landscape of the Philippine documentary in film and television.
Daang Dokyu is also supported by Purin Pictures, Japan Foundation, GMA Network, ABS-CBN, Rappler, iWantTFC, Probe Productions, Phil. Center for Investigative Journalism, Sundance, TokyoDocs.
To find out more and start binge watching on the said docus, head on to www.daangdokyu.com/watchnow.
