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Kodao’s ‘River of Tears and Rage’ wins as Best Documentary Short Film

‘Heart-rending,’ Society of Filipino Film Reviewers says

Kodao Productions’ video documentary on the burial of infant River Emmanuel Nasino, three month old daughter of political prisoner Reina Mae Nasino, won Best Short Documentary honors at the 2nd Pinoy Rebyu Awards by the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers (SFFR).

“For exposing who the real terrorizers are and their bottomless pit of injustice and indecency to deny the human rights of those they supposedly serve, the 2nd Pinoy Rebyu Awards for Best Documentary Short Film goes to RIVER OF TEARS AND RAGE,” the society’s announcement on Monday, February 28, said.

“Heart-rending,” SFFR further said of the film.

River of Tears and Rage was a film culled from Kodao Productions’ coverage of the infant’s wake and Facebook Live coverage of River Emmanuel’s burial on October 2020 when jail authorities ran away with the cadaver.

“Amid a raging coronavirus pandemic, a dead three month-old infant became a symbol of political repression by a regime denounced worldwide for its crimes against the people,” Kodao said during the film’s launch on October 2021, the first anniversary of the incident.

The film was an official selection in last year’s Cine Maralita Film Festival and was shown in special screenings in the United States and Canada.

The film was directed and edited by Maricon Montajes, herself a former political prisoner.

READ: FILM: RIVER OF TEARS AND RAGE

Starting out as Pinoy Rebyu in 2011 that aggregated reviews of local films and coming up with annual polls of the best Filipino films, the SFFR was created in 2021 to promote film education, preservation, criticism, and exhibition of Philippine cinema.

The other 2nd Pinoy Rebyu Awards winners are:

Best Film: Kun Maupay Man It Panahon

Best Director: Erik Matti (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Best Lead Performance: John Arcilla (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Best Supporting Performance: Jay Glorioso (Rabid)

Best Screenplay: Erik Matti and Michiko Yamamoto (On the Job: The Missing 8)

Best Ensemble Performance: On the Job: The Missing 8

Best Film Editing: Benjo Ferrer (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Cinematography: Teck Shang Lim (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Production Design: Whammy Alcazaren (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Film Score: Andrew Florentino (Kun Maupay Man It Panahon)

Best Documentary Feature: Last Days at Sea

Best First Feature: Kun Maupay Man It Panahon

Best Live Action Short: Kids on Fire

Best Animated Short: Mga Ulap Tayong Naging Ulan

WATCH: RIVER OF TEARS AND RAGE