REVIEW: '58th' exposes living and dying in a state of fear
58th details the story of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, who, in 2009, lost his life alongside 57 others as a victim of the infamous Maguindanao Massacre. Produced by GMA Public Affairs, the docudrama blends dramatic recreations with archival news footage to present one of the bloodiest chapters in Philippine history.
Rendered largely in director Carl Joseph Papa’s (Iti Mapukpukaw) signature rotoscoped animation, the narrative takes us through the kidnapping and subsequent murders of the 58 victims, as recounted via a Zoom interview with Momay’s daughter, Nene Castillo (Glaiza De Castro). While the section detailing the days leading up to and including the events of Nov. 23, 2009 is chilling on its own, the effect of having these retold in the words of someone who lived them is excruciating as it is extraordinary.
Through a combination of Nene’s words and in-depth research, we go through the last time she saw Momay (played here by the late Ricky Davao), her learning of the massacre, and the unrelenting anguish of everything that came after. Closing the gap between history, memory, and reportage, the film is a devastating exploration of the evil that men do.
While the use of animation allows the filmmakers to avoid an R-18 or X-rating, it does little to mask the brutality of its subject matter. As the massacre and its subsequent media storm give way to speculation, allegations, and a trial, we are made to feel its effects on the victims and those closest to them in uncompromising detail. Scenes of bloodshed are intercut with indignant politicians, followed by grieving families calling for justice as the bloated, unidentified bodies of their loved ones await examination.
With the wheels of so-called justice moving inexorably on, the greatest blow to Nene’s family comes as Momay’s name is excluded from the official victims’ list, on the technicality of his remains never having been found. It is indignity of the highest order, and one that Nene will contest as long as she draws breath. By the end of the film, as she visits an unkempt tribute to the victims, it serves as a damning reflection of the administration’s priorities in a country consistently listed as being among the world’s deadliest for journalists.
While the treatment is, at times, inconsistent on an aesthetic and technical level, such concerns are secondary to the strong performances from De Castro, Davao, and others in conveying the trauma that comes with being caught in the crosshairs of ambition and greed. This is a story about a family’s search for answers, with the full knowledge that a resolution may never be found, a notion driven home by a poignant recreation of a New Year’s celebration, now forever marred by the removal of a key player.
As a historical document, 58th is a film that demands to be seen and discussed. While certain flourishes—such as a sequence with the interviewer actually venturing into Nene’s memories to experience them firsthand—may be a step into the fantastical, the intended message is nevertheless delivered: Beyond the politics and violence, there is a human toll extracted by the pursuit of power, but those who pay for it are rarely the ones responsible.
58th is now showing exclusively at Shangri-La Plaza from Sept. 16 to 22. Watch the trailer below.
