Aswang

Alyx Ayn Arumpac's 2019 documentary watches Manila through the nights of the anti-drug campaign in the Philippines. The deaths happen in the street and reporters chasing the story record them. The documentary follows several people: a journalist, a mortuary worker, a missionary who supports bereaved families, and a child whose parents are in prison. The narrative gives their days rather than the numbers. The images are dark and direct. Scenes of death are shown. The documentary sets the official statements against the footage. Who it's for: viewers of political documentary and reporting narratives. Who it's not for: viewers for whom bodies and killings would be difficult; the documentary does not hide them.