'And So It Begins' coming to Philippine cinemas in August
Ramona Diaz’s documentary, And So It Begins will premiere in Philippine cinemas in August.
Former vice president Leni Robredo announced the news on her social media pages.
“Catch Ramona S. Diaz’s powerful film, set at the heart of the #lenirobredo People’s Campaign, as it finally premieres in Philippine theaters,” the caption read.
According to film distributor Solar Pictures, the film will premiere on Aug. 21. Its official trailer will be unveiled on July 31.
The documentary first premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January as part of the official selection under the Premieres/Documentaries category.
The synopsis read: “In a collective act of joy as a form of resistance, hope flickers against the backdrop of increasing autocracy.”
“With the end of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency and his attacks on democratic institutions like a free independent press, some Filipinos hoped for a new beginning. In contrast, others yearned for even more autocracy and a return to an era before the People Power Revolution and the restoration of democracy just a generation before,” it continued.
"And So It Begins chronicles what the defenders of democracy in the Philippines have experienced and is a haunting depiction of what is at stake in elections around the world,” it concluded.
During the campaign, the former vice president, alongside her supporters dubbed "Kakampinks," created a "pink movement" that included house-to-house campaigns, massive campaign rallies across the country, and donation drives that eventually extended to a nonprofit organization, Angat Buhay.
Diaz also helmed award-winning films such as Imelda (2004), The Learning (2011), and A Thousand Cuts (2020), which delved into the story of journalist Maria Ressa and the conflict regarding the freedom of the press and rampant disinformation under the leadership of former president Rodrigo Duterte.