Imelda docu premieres at CCP

EMMY Award–winning filmmaker/photographer Lauren Greenfield’s critically acclaimed documentary about Imelda Marcos, The Kingmaker, will have its Philippine premiere on Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m., at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), with matinee screening at 3 p.m.

The Kingmaker explores the disturbing legacy of the Marcos regime and examines the Marcos family’s improbable return to power in the Philippines. The 100-minute documentary had its world premiere at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, followed by screenings at the 2019 Telluride Film Festival, Toronto, and London Film Festivals. And this month, in cooperation with the De La Salle University-Taft, it comes to the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The screening is under the CCP Arthouse Cinema program.

The CCP is a 50-year-old edifice built through the initiation of the Former First Lady Imelda Marcos. In 1986, after the Marcos family lost power and were sent into exile, the CCP re-invented itself to become a people’s art center.

CCP Vice-President/Artistic Director Chris B. Millado said “the CCP as a government cultural institution has a contentious history, so it cannot be denied that Imelda founded this during the Marcos years, that Imelda was the main patron for the establishment of this institution. But it also cannot be denied that the Marcos regime had its excesses in terms of corruption, and its human rights record. And it also cannot be denied that they have been convicted in courts for this. By screening this film, it’s a way of making artistic expression engage with issues that we feel are very important to tackle in this part of the political or social psyche of the Filipino.”

Greenfield gained intimate access to Imelda and other members of the Marcos clan, filming in Imelda’s extravagant city apartment and the family mansions in Manila, Ilocos Norte, and Leyte provinces. The film chronicles Imelda’s present-day push to help her son, Bongbong, win the vicepresidency. To this end, Imelda confidently rewrites her family’s history of corruption, replacing it with a narrative of a matriarch’s extravagant love for her country. “In an age when fake news impacts elections, Imelda’s comeback story is a cautionary tale,” said Greenfield.

After the screening, there will be a talkback with the film representative and other guests from different sectors. For ticket inquiries, call the CCP Box Office at 8832-3704, or TicketWorld at 8891-9999.