Banned Filipino fishermen documentary can be seen in NZ
Doc Edge has screened the documentary, despite a request from the Consulate-General of China in Auckland to not do so.
Top filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama, whose new documentary was pulled from the Philippine's major film festival, says she’s grateful Doc Edge stood by its decision to screen the film despite a request from the Consulate-General of China.
In Food Delivery, Fresh from the West Philippine Sea, she follows a group of fishers from a small village as they navigate their fishing grounds, while keeping a wary eye for the Chinese coastguard.
This area of the ocean has long been a flashpoint for relations between the Philippines and China, which both claim territorial ownership for it. That's despite China's loss in a 2016 ruling at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
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Villarama, who has covered social issues like undocumented migrants in the US and the situation of Filipino workers in Hong Kong, says having the documentary pulled out of Philippine's film festival, just two days before its debut, came as a shock.
“I’m still recovering from that trauma, because it’s the first time for me as an independent filmmaker to encounter that,” Villarama told Nine to noon.
“When [the festival’s organisers] informed us that the entire festival is at risk of being cancelled if they don’t pull out the film then that became real. I couldn’t do that to other filmmakers who also had their challenges making the film, it’s not very easy to make films like this. So we decided to agree. It was difficult to process.”
Documentary director Baby Ruth Villarama with the film crew in the Philippines.
Supplied / Elephant Publicity
She says although the organisers didn’t provide additional information about what “external forces” were getting in the way, media reports narrowed it down and “connected the dots”.
The Consulate-General of People’s Republic of China in Auckland had asked Doc Edge to refrain from screening the documentary, claiming the film was “rife with disinformation and false propaganda to serve as (a) political tool for the Philippines”.
Earlier this month, Doc Edge declined the request, saying it was happy to publicise the view of the Chinese Consulate-General for the sake of transparency and fairness but it stood by its kaupapa of independence and curatorial freedom.
“We encourage audiences to seek their own sources, view the film, and engage in open conversation and dialogue.”
Villarama says she’s grateful that Doc Edge did not bow down to pressure.
“They took that firm decision, that principled decision to keep the film in the festival. They can always remove my film and go on … but they stood behind a small film from the Philippines and that means so much.”
She says they were not supported nor funded by the government whilst following the fishermen for 60 days to make the documentary and only asked for permission to access the Coastguard ship for filming purposes.
“Until now, we’re still paying some of the debts from our production work but it’s okay, it’s part of it, it’s part of the adventure and it’s worth every hassle and challenge.”
She says it is important for storytellers like her to represent the unheard voice of the fishermen involved in the Rotation and Reprovision (RORE) missions – a military operation that delivers food and aid to the soldiers posted in remote areas “to guard the Philippines, to guard our sovereignty”.
“Because of the [escalating] situation, it’s getting harder and harder to deliver food to our soldiers there. Even the fisher folk, with their way of life of fishing, it’s also a challenge for them to harvest their fish because of this external encroachment.”
The missions are done in stealth and without being detected, “like a ninja”, Villarama says. But she was most emotionally struck by what the fishermen had to put with, she says.
“It breaks our heart to realise the challenges they have to face and the bullying they have to endure to make sure their ends meet and to make sure there’s fish for everyone to eat. Like the tuna that we deliver to hotels and restaurants and even export in other countries. That’s the effort that comes from the hand of our fisherfolk.”
Observing the “divine” beauty of the islands and sea, she felt humans needed to do better to protect and share the resources nature was giving us for free.
“As a Filipino, we’re peace-loving people. We’re not against anyone. We love collaborating with other nationalities … I mean I love Chinese culture personally. But we have to call this certain violation of boundaries and bullying that’s happening out there in the waters.”
Her hope is that the documentary will be screened in the Philippines eventually.
“There’s no way that it won’t. Whatever happens to me, that’s the only request I keep saying in all my email co-ordination with different institutions, ‘please screen the film at all costs’ … because the Filipino people deserve to know the truth… and the international community.”
