Synopsis : Lieutenant Hermes Papauran, one of the best investigators of the Philippines, is at a deep moral crossroad. As a member of the police forces, he is a first-hand witness of the murderous anti-drug campaign that his institution is implementing with dedication. The atrocities are corroding Hermes physically and spiritually, causing him a severe skin disease resulting from anxiety and guilt. As he tries to heal, a dark past that haunts him, has eventually come back for a reckoning.
Festival History : Venice International Film Festival, Ghent International Film Festival
Director :
Lav Diaz
Producer :
Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Jean-Christophe Simon, Joaquim Sapinho, Marta Alves
Screenplay :
Lav Diaz
DOP :
Larry Manda
Editor :
Lav Diaz
Cast :
John Lloyd Cruz, Ronnie Lazaro, Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, Dms Boongaling
Lav Diaz (b. 1958, Philippines). Notable for the length of his work, Diaz’s films are not governed by
time (ranging anywhere from 3-10 hours) but by space and nature. He has directed 18 films, and won numerous
awards including the Locarno Golden Leopard (‘From What is Before’, 2014), the Berlinale Silver Bear (‘A Lullaby
to the Sorrowful Mystery’, 2016) and the Venice Golden Lion (‘The Woman Who Left’, 2016)
