The Aswang is one of the most terrifying creatures in Filipino mythology. By choosing it as the title for her first feature film, a courageous look at the Duterte government’s ultra-repressive drug policy, Alyx Ayn Arumpac makes her purpose clear. A work of uncompromising activism and talented filmmaking backed by a clear vision, the film highlights the violence and tragedies experienced by the many witnesses Arumac meets. The effect is underscored by many nighttime shots, which create an oppressive urban aesthetic. The deliberate cruelty of the images makes the film an unforgettable cri du coeur from an enraged citizen who can no longer bear to see her people suffer under the yoke of an authoritarian regime. A cinematic gut-punch. (Bruno Dequen)

Presented in collaboration with Cinema Politica

competition : International Feature Competition

Aswang