Filipino writer-producer-director Ramona S Diaz is unafraid of a fight.
She plans to release her politically controversial feature documentary And So It Begins in the Philippines herself later this year, galvanised by the rection to her 2003 film Imelda. The film premiered at Sundance in January and had its European premiere in the international competition of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival last week.
Imelda was about the life of former Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos. Marcos unsuccessfully took Diaz to court in an attempt to stop the documentary being shown in the Philippines.
And So It Begins looks at the 2022 elections...
She plans to release her politically controversial feature documentary And So It Begins in the Philippines herself later this year, galvanised by the rection to her 2003 film Imelda. The film premiered at Sundance in January and had its European premiere in the international competition of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival last week.
Imelda was about the life of former Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos. Marcos unsuccessfully took Diaz to court in an attempt to stop the documentary being shown in the Philippines.
And So It Begins looks at the 2022 elections...
- 3/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
1. Documentary Review: Until I Fly (2024) by Kanishka Sonthalia and Siddesh Shetty
At the same time though, and if one looks at the story in a wider prism, the issues with emigration and the racism that results from it are highlighted quite eloquently, along with a comment that problems like that become even more significant in small societies, where one can definitely not ‘hide in the crowd'. As such, the movie is induced with a more universal essence, which definitely helps raise the quality of its context.
2. Interview: Kanishka Sonthalia and Siddesh Shetty 3. Queer Japan (2019) by Graham Kolbeins
Choosing the protagonist wisely, “Queer Japan” gives space to a good sample of voices to be listened to. Butoh dancers, drag queens, club founders and owners, author of gay manga featuring bear gays, erotic drawing artist, politician. Gay, lesbian, bi, trans men, trans women, non-binary people, pansexuals, all kinds of various fetishes lovers and many many others.
At the same time though, and if one looks at the story in a wider prism, the issues with emigration and the racism that results from it are highlighted quite eloquently, along with a comment that problems like that become even more significant in small societies, where one can definitely not ‘hide in the crowd'. As such, the movie is induced with a more universal essence, which definitely helps raise the quality of its context.
2. Interview: Kanishka Sonthalia and Siddesh Shetty 3. Queer Japan (2019) by Graham Kolbeins
Choosing the protagonist wisely, “Queer Japan” gives space to a good sample of voices to be listened to. Butoh dancers, drag queens, club founders and owners, author of gay manga featuring bear gays, erotic drawing artist, politician. Gay, lesbian, bi, trans men, trans women, non-binary people, pansexuals, all kinds of various fetishes lovers and many many others.
- 3/18/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
A companion piece to her documentary “A Thousand Cuts,” Ramona S. Diaz’s “And So It Begins” follows the 2022 Philippine election, and Vice President Leni Robredo’s run for office. The film lays out the broad strokes of the country’s contemporary politics in the wake of strongman President Rodrigo Duterte, while capturing the groundswell of support for Robredo. However, it features neither the narrative and aesthetic intensity needed for an up-to-the-minute chronicle, nor the political depth required of such vital subject matter, which Diaz’s previous work has in spades.
After a contentious vice presidency — she was elected on a separate ticket from Duterte, as is common in the Philippines — Robredo’s campaign kicks off with grassroots activism awash in pink apparel, often on a scale so large that overhead shots of her rallies barely fit within the frame. With political experience and a moving personal narrative at her back,...
After a contentious vice presidency — she was elected on a separate ticket from Duterte, as is common in the Philippines — Robredo’s campaign kicks off with grassroots activism awash in pink apparel, often on a scale so large that overhead shots of her rallies barely fit within the frame. With political experience and a moving personal narrative at her back,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Variety Film + TV
After Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte’s term comes to an end, the promise of democracy and threat of increased authoritarianism sends droves of citizens into the street to campaign for Liberal Party candidate Leni Robredo. Filmmaker Ramona S. Díaz captures the lead-up and aftermath of this critical election in her film And So It Begins, a companion to her 2020 doc A Thousand Cuts, about journalist Maria Ressa, who risks her life in order to vocally criticize Duterte’s involvement in the war on drugs. Below, editor Aaron Soffin discusses how he came onto the project only five months ago, trained under […]
The post “We Wanted To Embed the Viewer in the Energy of the Campaign”: Editor Aaron Soffin on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Wanted To Embed the Viewer in the Energy of the Campaign”: Editor Aaron Soffin on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/22/2024
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
After Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte’s term comes to an end, the promise of democracy and threat of increased authoritarianism sends droves of citizens into the street to campaign for Liberal Party candidate Leni Robredo. Filmmaker Ramona S. Díaz captures the lead-up and aftermath of this critical election in her film And So It Begins, a companion to her 2020 doc A Thousand Cuts, about journalist Maria Ressa, who risks her life in order to vocally criticize Duterte’s involvement in the war on drugs. Below, editor Aaron Soffin discusses how he came onto the project only five months ago, trained under […]
The post “We Wanted To Embed the Viewer in the Energy of the Campaign”: Editor Aaron Soffin on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Wanted To Embed the Viewer in the Energy of the Campaign”: Editor Aaron Soffin on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/22/2024
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
As the tradition calls, Sarah Shahat from IndieWire has published the camera survey regarding the Sundance 2024 Film Festival, focusing on documentaries. As usual, we ingested the data into a chart (cameras and manufacturers) to conclude that Sony’s cameras were the most popular among indie-documentaries filmmakers, even more than Canon’s. However, the most dominant camera is the Canon’s Super 35 beast, which is the acclaimed C300 Mark II.
Sundance 2024’s documentaries: Camera Manufacturers Chart Sundance 2024’s documentaries: Cameras and lenses
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival is taking place from January 18 to 28, 2024. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 6, 2023. Sundance 2024 presents a few high-potential films, crafted by top-tier independent filmmakers. This time, we focus on the selected documentaries (as opposed to narratives). Every year, IndieWire reaches out to the cinematographers behind the films premiering at the festival and asks which cameras, lenses, and formats they used — and...
Sundance 2024’s documentaries: Camera Manufacturers Chart Sundance 2024’s documentaries: Cameras and lenses
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival is taking place from January 18 to 28, 2024. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 6, 2023. Sundance 2024 presents a few high-potential films, crafted by top-tier independent filmmakers. This time, we focus on the selected documentaries (as opposed to narratives). Every year, IndieWire reaches out to the cinematographers behind the films premiering at the festival and asks which cameras, lenses, and formats they used — and...
- 1/22/2024
- by Yossy Mendelovich
- YMCinema
A companion to her 2020 film A Thousand Cuts, Filipino-American documentary filmmaker Ramona S. Díaz returns to Sundance with And So It Begins, which chronicles recent Filipino elections following the end of right-wing president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, which could either bring about the restoration of democracy or an increased shift toward nationalist leaders. Cinematographer Bruce Sakai reveals how he was hired to shoot the project due to increased Covid restrictions, as well as the decision to employ a “very verité approach.” See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being […]
The post “Our Style Was Very Observational”: Dp Bruce Sakai on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Our Style Was Very Observational”: Dp Bruce Sakai on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/22/2024
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
A companion to her 2020 film A Thousand Cuts, Filipino-American documentary filmmaker Ramona S. Díaz returns to Sundance with And So It Begins, which chronicles recent Filipino elections following the end of right-wing president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, which could either bring about the restoration of democracy or an increased shift toward nationalist leaders. Cinematographer Bruce Sakai reveals how he was hired to shoot the project due to increased Covid restrictions, as well as the decision to employ a “very verité approach.” See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being […]
The post “Our Style Was Very Observational”: Dp Bruce Sakai on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Our Style Was Very Observational”: Dp Bruce Sakai on And So It Begins first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 1/22/2024
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
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