China urges New Zealand festival to drop Filipino documentary on West Philippine Sea
Directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, the film premiered in Auckland on June 30 after it was pulled from a local film festival in the Philippines due to unspecified 'external factors.'
The Chinese Consulate in Auckland described the film as 'politically motivated' and 'misleading.'
'The documentary… is rife with disinformation and false propaganda, serving as a political tool for the Philippines to pursue illegitimate claims in the South China Sea. Its screening would severely mislead the public and send the wrong message internationally,' the Consulate said in an email sent to festival organizers.
Doc Edge general manager Rachael Penman rejected the request and affirmed the festival's commitment to supporting independent storytelling and protecting freedom of expression.
'We programmed a film that we felt was really important to be seen and brings up a conversation with so many people. I hope that everyone does go and see this now, and has their own opportunity to make their own decisions about this film,' she said.
The documentary highlights the experiences of Filipino fishermen, along with the resupply mission of the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy in the Scarborough Shoal, an area located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but also claimed by China.
The film received the Tides of Change Award under the Best Festival Category in the Academy Award-qualifying film festival.
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