Aswang (2019 film)

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Aswang
Aswang 2019 film.jpg
Directed byAlyx Arumpac
Produced by
    • Armi Rae Cacanindin
    • Alyx Arumpac
Narrated by
    • Giancarlo Abrahan
    • Anne Fabini
    • Alyx Arumpac
Cinematography
    • Alyx Arumpac
    • Tanya Haurylchyk
Edited by
    • Fatima Bianchi
    • Anne Fabini
Music byTeresa Barrozo
Production
company
    • Cinematografica
    • Les Films l'oeil Sauvage
    • Razor Film Produktion
    • Stray Dog Productions
Release date
  • November 21, 2019 (2019-11-21)(IDFA)
Running time
85 minutes
Country
    • Philippines
    • France
    • Germany
    • Norway
LanguageFilipino

Aswang is a 2019 documentary film directed by Alyx Arumpac. It covers the first two years of the war on drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte. [1]

Contents

Premise

Aswang features the "nightcrawlers" a group of photojournalists in Metro Manila documenting the killings of people suspected to be drug dealers and users under the war on drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte. Among these photojournalist is Redemptorist lay brother Jun Santiago supports the families of the victims as well as covers the protests against the campaign. [2] [3]

Jomari an impoverish youth learns of the murder of Kian de los Santos, whom he considers as his older brother figure. Jomari lives by himself since his parents are detained for drug use. [2] [3]

Production

Aswang was directed by Alyx Ayn Arumpac and is an international co-production by Cinematografica (Philippines), Les Films l'oeil Sauvage (France), Stray Dog Productions (Norway), and Razor Film Produktion (Germany) [4] [5]

Work on Aswang began in 2016 where it started as a self-funded venture. The production team had support from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) as early as 2017 which partially funded the project via its International Film Studies Assistance Program (IFSAP). The IFSAP enabled the team to attend the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) Forum where they were able to present the pitch for Aswang to potential funders and producers. In 2018, the film received 40,000 euros for Europe: International Co-production from the IDFA Bertha Fund [6]

Release

Aswang made its world premier on November 21, 2019 at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. [6] [7]

The film was supposed to make its Philippine debut at the Daang Dokyu documentary film festival on March 16, 2020. [8] The event was distrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead a limited online screening was held for the Philippine audience on July 11, 2020. [9] [10]

Accolades

Aswang is noted for being the first ever documentary to win Best Picture in the 2020 FAMAS Awards. [3] It is also the first documentary to win Best Picture in the 44th Gawad Urian Awards held in 2021. [11]

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult
2020 68th FAMAS Awards [3] [12] Best PictureAswangWon
Best Documentary FilmAswangWon
Best CinematographyAlyx Arumpac and Tanya HaurylchykWon
Best EditingFatima Bianchi and Anne FabiniWon
Best SoundMikko Quizon, John Michael Perez and Akritchalerm KalayanamitrNominated
202144th Gawad Urian Awards [11] Best FilmAswangWon
Best DirectorAlyx ArumpacWon
Best CinematographyAlyx Ayn G. Arumpac and Tanya HaurylchykWon

References

  1. Reyes, Juno (March 11, 2025). "Drug war docu 'Aswang' to be streamed online for free following Rodrigo Duterte's arrest". Rappler. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Aswang". Sulo: The Philippine Studies Initiative at NYU. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Garcia, Cara Emmeline (December 21, 2020). "Alyx Arumpac's 'Aswang' wins Best Picture in FAMAS 2020". GMA Entertainment. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  4. "Filmakers" . Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  5. "'Aswang' is lone PH entry to esteemed documentary festival in Amsterdam". Film Development Council of the Philippines. November 22, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Flim: 'Aswang' by Alyx Ayn Arumpac is Lone Philippine Entry to Esteemed Documentary Festival in Amsterdam". Adobo Magazine Online. November 27, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  7. "PH drug war documentary 'Aswang' eligible for Oscar consideration". ABS-CBN News. February 1, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  8. Layug, Margaret Claire (February 19, 2020). "'DAANG DOKYU': A documentary festival tracing the Filipino story is coming your way". GMA News. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  9. "Alyx Ayn Arumpac's drug war docu 'Aswang' to stream for free this weekend". GMA News. July 10, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  10. Lecaros, Mikhail (July 12, 2020). "WHAT TO WATCH: Drug war docu 'Aswang' cuts to the bone". GMA News. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Severo, Jan Milo (October 21, 2021). "Anti-drug war 'Aswang' is 1st docu to win Gawad Urian Best Film". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  12. "FULL LIST: Nominees, 2020 FAMAS Awards". Rappler. December 7, 2020. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2025.