Image: Instagram/@gmapublicaffairs
“Lost Sabungeros” — a documentary aiming to find answers to the mysterious disappearance of over 30 sabungeros (or cockfighters) in 2021 — will make its big-screen debut at the QCinema International Film Festival in November, a decision made by the organizers hoping to provide a bigger platform in its “quest for justice.”
The screening of the documentary helmed by GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures was announced at the Quezon City-based film festival’s press conference on Tuesday, October 22.
It was also confirmed by the documentary’s producers on its social media platforms on the same day.
“Walang makakapigil sa katotohanan (Nothing can stop the truth). The previously canceled premiere of GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures’ first investigative docu-film ‘Lost Sabungeros’ is finally set to make its debut at the QCinema International Film Festival,” its post read.
“Upon watching it, I thought that it has to be shown. Investigative journalism and quest for justice siya eh,” said festival director Ed Lejano in an interview by INQUIRER.net.
“There are victims, and paano ito mapapalabas? Baka mahirapan [pa siyang maipalabas] sa TV (There are victims and how can we show this to the public? It might have a hard time being aired on TV),” Lejano added.
Lejano also explained that the festival’s decision lies in wanting to give the Bryan Brazil-helmed documentary a bigger platform.
“Para lang in its (In helping them with their) quest for justice, we can help in its own way through the festival. There is a context for it,” he said.
“Lost Sabungeros” was supposed to premiere at the 2024 Cinemalaya Film Festival in August, but it was canceled for “security concerns.” The organizers didn’t specify what security concerns they were referring to.
The cancelation dismayed Brazil at the time, telling Philippine Daily Inquirer in August that he had no idea what security threat the festival was implying.
The documentary will be screened on November 9 and 12 at Gateway Mall in Quezon City under the festival’s Special Screenings section. Other films to be featured in this category are “An Errand” by Dominic Baekart, “If My Lover Were a Flower” by Kaung Zan, and “A Thousand Forests by Hanz Florentino.”
The QCinema International Film Festival will take place from November 8 to 17.