Sari Dalena ruffles historical memories, Cinemartyrs, a 104-minute film confrontation forgotten scars of Philippine history.
Cinemartyrs centers on a young filmmaker determined to resurrect the lost narratives of massacres, facing initial skepticism from a committee that belittles her craft. To prove her mettle, she takes her small, dedicated crew to the actual, present-day war-torn sites of past atrocities. The ultimate challenge begins when they arrive at a location stained by the slaughter of a thousand men, women, and children.
The film reveals that as soon as the camera starts to roll, the horrific history is not just documented—it’s awakened. The angry spirits of the slain are unleashed, turning the historical recreation into a present-day nightmare that imperils the lives of the film crew and the local villagers. Dalena—who also serves as the film’s director, screenwriter, cinematographer, and executive producer—paints a chilling picture of “the brutal traumas of history echoing to the present day.”
Dalena is an independent filmmaker and former University of the Philippines Film Institute director, known for her powerful historical documentaries like Memories of a Forgotten War and award-winning features like Ka Oryang, Dalena now ventures into a narrative where the camera itself becomes a catalyst for the supernatural.
Cast includes Nour Hooshmand, Paul Cedric Juan, Raquel Villavicencio, and celebrated figures like Lav Diaz and Kidlat Tahimik. With cinematography by Neil Daza and original music by Teresa Barrozo. Maria Elena Catajan
