‘Ghosts of Kalantiaw’ has finished its final showing at the Teresa Yunchengco Auditorium, commemorating the darkest moments in Philippine history. Director Chuck Escasa reveals the film’s intent of showing how mythmaking erodes lives.
“The story of Jose Marco was suggested to me by my wife’s niece, Justine, who taught history in Iloilo,” Escasa said. “This was during the time when fake news and historical revisionism were sweeping the country. I thought it would make a great story for a documentary and did some research on it.”
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“Ghosts of Kalantiaw” is a documentary film that explores the themes of mythmaking and historical manipulation in the Philippines. It centers around the pseudohistorical figure Datu Kalantiaw, who was falsely credited with creating the first legal code in the Philippines, known as the Code of Kalantiaw.
The meaning of the Code of Kalantiaw defines various laws and severe punishments for offenses, including death for murder and extreme penalties for lesser crimes. However, it is now widely recognized as a hoax created by José Marco in the early 20th century.
The documentary critically examines how fabricated histories can shape contemporary political narratives and cultural identity. One example is how these fabricated stories resulted in the Marcos family returning to power. Furthermore, the film comments on the broad implications of “post-truth” politics.
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The ‘Ghosts of Kalantiaw’ documentary will screen at the 12th Active Vista Human Rights Festival, which will run from September 19 to October 6 in select theaters across the country. The film won the Jury Prize in the documentary category.
Representatives have quoted that the film was recognized as it “explores how the manipulation of facts can reshape collective memory, challenging viewers to reflect on the consequences of distorting history in both personal and societal contexts.”
You can watch the full trailer of ‘Ghosts of Kalantiaw’ here:
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