Curated by RESBAK

The screening will be followed by a talk with Kiri Dalena and survivors of the drug war

Fundraising through: https://gogetfunding.com/paaral-fund-2/

A call to the deity Alunsina to bestow strength upon children and the elderly. Dalena presents us with an upside down world, a mirror of distress that dwells on the mundane life of a single family who have survived the "war on drugs". An ailing grandmother is seen taking care of her grandchildren – toddlers and teenagers – with a quiet care and affection. In one scene, she sings a protest song as a lullaby to the youngest as he drinks milk from a bottle. The children play with each other and draw as a way of processing all that has happened in their lives. While they say goodbye to their father who was killed during a police operation because he allegedly "fought back", their mother is falsely accused of being a drug pusher. (Bea Mariano)

Kiri Dalena is visual artist and filmmaker from the Philippines known for her works that lay bare social inequalities and injustices. Her active involvement in the mass struggle to uphold human rights amidst state persecution is the foundation for her art practice, which underscores the relevance of protest and civil disobedience in contemporary society.

The RESBAKan Paaral Fundraiser is an initiative aimed at giving financial support to orphaned children who have been tragically affected by the “war on drugs” in the Philippines. Many of these families lack the financial means to pay tuition, and other school supplies. Social class and poverty limit their access to education. As a result, they continue to face generational and structural disadvantages and justice and recovery is denied. The eradication of this organized abandonment is the only answer. On the path to achieving this, we must provide for one another in networks of solidarity. These Sunday screenings will revolve around two films by two Filipino artists and filmmakers that seek to draw attention to the brutal drug war waged by former President Rodrigo Duterte between 2016 and 2022. Afterwards, we will engage in a conversation with the filmmakers and with survivors as we share stories over dinner.

RESBAK (REspond and Break the Silence Against the Killings) traces its beginnings to Duterte’s first year in office in 2016. An alliance of art, media, and cultural workers, it has employed a range of visual strategies to protest against human rights violations, while organizing flexible and inventive responses to address pragmatic needs.

To learn more about RESBAK, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For inquiries, please email resbak_artists@protonmail.com.

Supported by: Advancing Philippine Studies Series, ALPAS Pilipinas, GABRIELA Germany, Interflugs, philippinenbuero