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GUIDE: Martial Law Movies, Documentaries and Where to Stream Them

Your dose of history via streaming.
by Ara Eugenio
Mar 18, 2022
Photo/s: The Kingmaker
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Thirty years ago, former president Ferdinand Marcos and his family fled the Philippines after a 20-year dictatorial rule that went down in history as one of the country's darkest periods. "#NeverAgain", said Filipinos who refuse to forget how billions were plundered from state coffers, not to mention the thousands of lives lost. 

Since then, Philippine cinema has done its part to make sure Filipinos would never forget such a harrowing era. 

As the dictator's only son and namesake, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. remains the frontrunner in the upcoming presidential elections, we bring you a list of documentaries and films you could watch (and where to watch them) with friends and family to help you ponder more about the past and how it's supposed to shape the future:

Dekada ’70 (2002)

Directed by Chito S. Roño

Based on Lualhati Bautista’s novel of the same name, this 2002 movie directed by Chito Sollows follows the life of the Bartolome family as they struggle through the Martial Law dictatorship.

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Dekada '70 features the life of Amanda (Vilma Santos), an apolotical mother who, along with husband Julian (Christopher De Leon), is trying to come into terms with the chosen paths of her five sons (Piolo Pascual, Marvin Agustin, Carlos Agassi, Danilo Barrios, and John Wayne Sace), most of which turn to various forms of activism. 

Stream Dekada '70 on iWantTFC.

Pisay (2007)

Directed by Auraeus Solito

Ever wondered what high school life was like for Martial Law babies?

Set in the 1980s, this 2007 film follows the life of six students from the Philippine Science High School who are faced with the joys and pains of adolescence, all while the Philippines was caught in massive political turmoil. 

"Kaya kayong mga mag-aaral, tungkulin ninyong palayain ang inyong pag-iisip. Gumawa kayo ng orihinal na pananaliksik, 'yung hinugot mula sa totoong kalagayan," a popular line from the film goes, making it a must-watch movie for young people. 

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Stream Pisay on MOOV.

Barber’s Tales (2013)

Directed by Jun Robles Lana

Set in a rural town during the end of the Marcos regime, this 2013 film is about a newly widowed Marilou (Eugene Domingo) who inherits her husband's barbershop. As the town's new barber, a woman at that, Marilou takes an empowering journey to self-discovery not only in her means to livelihood, but also in her sense of community at a time of political unrest. 

Stream Barber's Tales on KTX

Respeto (2017)

Directed by Treb Monteras II

The 2017 film is centered on aspiring rapper Hendrix (played by real life rap star Abra), who becomes friends with Doc (Dido de la Pax), an old poet who is haunted by his Martial Law past. A testament to how art is political as it personal, this Cinemalaya 2017 Best Picture tackles the horrors of the Duterte administration's drug war through music, rap and poetry.

Continue reading below ↓

Stream on MOOV.

The Kingmaker (2019)

Directed by Lauren Greenfield

This documentary tells the story of the Marcos dictatorship through Greenfield's interviews with Former First Lady Imelda Marcos, whose recalling of her husbands regime are juxtaposed with narratives of those who lived through it, including that of human rights abuse victims, and government accounts of billions of stolen wealth yet to be returned.

Spliced with footage leading up the present times, almost four decades since Marcos' Martial Law was lifted, the documentary details the family's return to power, and the circumstances in the country's political environment that made it possible.

Stream The Kingmaker for free on Youtube.

Liway (2018)

Directed by Kip Oebanda

Set during the waning days of former president Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship, "Liway" is based on its director's own childhood as a young boy named Dakip, who grew up in a prison camp with his mother, the revolutionary Cecilia Flores-Oebanda (played by Glaiza de Castro), also known as Commander Liway of the New People's Army.

Continue reading below ↓

Released in August 2018 as an entry to the 14th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, Liway provides an intimate look into the life of a family during who selflessly fought for each other and the country's liberation. 

Liway is available for streaming ad-free on YouTube until April.

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