‘Deleter’
Nadine Lustre
(We are running this guide to help you plan your holiday movie-viewing activity. The 48th Metro Manila Film Festival, or MMFF, runs from Dec. 25 to Jan. 7, 2023.)
Written and directed by Mikhail Red; stars Nadine Lustre, Louise delos Reyes, Jeffrey Hidalgo, McCoy de Leon; produced by Viva Films
This film, which incorporates elements of techno-horror and psychological thriller, is set in the little-known industry of online content moderation. Nadine is Lyra, a so-called deleter whose task is to prevent graphic videos and other disturbing imagery from reaching social media.
Her boss and coworkers think she’s the perfect person for this kind of profession. Unlike others who find being a deleter emotionally and mentally taxing, the naturally stoic Lyra appears unperturbed by the things she sees online. But little do they know that she once had to wipe off digital footprints of a coworker’s suicide video. She also carries with her deep-seated traumas that she hopes to delete from her life.
While the horror genre is a staple and a consistent crowd-puller at the MMFF, “Deleter” is one of the first films—if not the first—to shed light on the said subject. “It’s exciting that we will be able to show this film to a wider local audience,” Red said. “Being part of a local festival allows us to convey our message to the audience and possibly effect change.”
“It’s also something new. It has the scare elements of a usual horror film, but it has a different atmosphere that’s very modern,” he added. “It deals with technology and society. And this is relevant with the advent of the internet and distortion of truth. And all of that is covered.”
