Movie No. 53 (2017): TU PUG IMATUY

Tu Pug Imatuy (The Right To Kill) (2017)
Director: Arnel Barbarona
Cast: Malona Sulatan, Jong Mozon, Luis Georlin Banaag III, Jamee Rivera
In Lumad dialect, with English subtitles

Tu Pug Imatuy was this the big winner at the Sinag Maynila film festival early this year.

The movie started (almost) as a semi-documentary, which worked well for me since my knowledge about the Lumads and their culture is scant. The few scenes that suggested the simple living in isolation were enough. Then came the conflict - the militarization of their ancestral lands. On the side, there's the communist rebels. The Lumads were caught in the middle. The ugliest forms of injustice were committed against them and their basic human rights violated. 

The narrative is straightforward. Poetically composed cinematography complements the narrative. Raw, but great acting by the lead actress makes the movie unforgettable.

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: August 7, 2017