'Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea' docu gears up for global premiere

MANILA, June 25 ------ "Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea," the highly anticipated documentary of award-winning filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama, had a successful private send-off screening over the weekend in Greenhills, San Juan.

"Private screening siya, parang appreciation screening to those who supported the film, to producers who helped us parang bring it to the finish line despite of what happened sa previous festival when it was pulled out," Villarama told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview on Tuesday morning.

Last March, Villarama's documentary was pulled out from the CinePanalo Festival after "external factors played a role in this outcome." According to Villarama, the documentary, which references the ongoing maritime tensions between the Philippines and China, will be screened internationally instead. "We have no choice but to screen it internationally because of what happened. But if there will be a window to really screen it here in the Philippines, bring it nationwide, it's really a must for this film to be seen by as many people as possible so we can understand what's really at stake," the filmmaker said.

Villarama shared that "Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea" will have its world premiere on June 30 at The Capitol Cinema in Auckland as part of docedge, New Zealand’s Oscar-qualifying international documentary festival. "It's the biggest documentary festival in Asia Pacific," the filmmaker noted.

According to Villarama, "Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea (WPS)," is about the guardian of the seas -- the fishermen, navy and coast guard and how they navigate WPS. "It's about the struggle, hardship, dignity of fellow Filipinos guarding the West Philippine Sea," she said.

Asked why it's a must-see film, Villarama explained: "The West Philippine Sea seems too far from us people in the mainland but I hope that by seeing the film, they can finally understand kung gaano kahalaga kung ano 'yung mayroon tayo. So I hope we can protect it, pangalagaan natin bago siya mawala sa atin ng tuluyan. Kailangan ilaban mo 'yan." "As a Filipino we are peace-loving and we want to nurture our friendship with our neighbors. So sa akin kaibigan ang tingin natin sa China, 'di ba? Pero friendship should always be two-way and there should be respect. So I hope this film can really see the truth behind what's happening and I hope China can also see it so they can better understand how it's affecting our people," she added.

As independent filmmaker, Villarama also appealed to public and government for support. "It's really important for us to really see our stories kumbaga deeper and let that candle inside us not to die. Let's use our voice to really join the fight, because it's not my fight, it's really our collective fight. And then panawagan sa government na the film is there to support them. Kasi nakita namin na the issue is really quite complicated itong geopolitics natin and we want to offer the film as a neutral ground for people to discuss it," she said.

"I really hope that people can really clamor for it. And if they want to book screenings, they can get in touch with us, so we can make arrangements to book it in cinemas, help them out. ... Sa akin kasi a good story should not be banned or should not be kept from people who deserves to see it and the Filipino people deserve to see the truth, the whole truth. So sana mapalabas lang talaga dito sa Philippines," Villarama concluded.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com