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Asog (film)

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Asog
Directed bySeán Devlin
Written byRey Aclao
Sean Devlin
Arnel Pablo
Produced bySeán Devlin
StarringRey Aclao
Arnel Pablo
CinematographyAnna MacDonald
Edited bySeán Devlin
Music byEmmett Hall
Release date
  • June 11, 2023 (2023-06-11) (Tribeca)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryPhilippines
LanguageTagalog

Asog is a Canadian-Philippine docufiction film, directed by comedian Seán Devlin. The tragicomic movie features a cast made up entirely of Super Typhoon Haiyan survivors, none of whom were trained actors. The film is executive produced by Adam McKay, Alan Cumming and Joel Kim Booster.[1][2]

Time Magazine described the film's impact as "a remarkable victory of society’s poorest over entrenched corporate interests." [3] The film features residents of Sicogon Island who had their land stolen in the aftermath of the storm by the country's largest real estate company Ayala Land Inc. Private armed militia allegedly forced 6,000 people to abandon their ancestral land so the corporations could build a luxury resort.[4][5] After Asog’s success on the festival circuit, Ayala paid $5.1 million USD in reparations to 784 displaced families who had refused to leave the island.[6] Most of the money was used to build 474 new storm-resistant homes.[3] The Ayala conglomerate allegedly sabotaged the film's Filipino premiere[4] leading Rolling Stone Philippines to dub the film "The Biggest Movie That The Philippines has Never Seen".[7]

The film was a selection of the Cannes Docs-in-progress showcase,[8] had its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival[9] and was an official selection of SXSW Sydney and the 67th BFI London Film Festivals. It also screened in competition at the 39th Warsaw[10] and the 54th Goa International Film Festivals.[11]

Plot

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Incorporating both fictionalized and documentary elements, the film stars Filipino transgender comedian Rey "Jaya" Aclao, who is taking former student Arnel Pablo on a road trip to a drag competition; along the way, they meet various people whose lives have been impacted by Haiyan. [12]

Development

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Devlin's Mother was born and raised in Leyte, the island that was decimated by Super Typhoon Haiyan.[13] He has been documenting the lives of climate disaster survivors in the Philippines since 2013. [3] He first filmed with Asog co-star Arnel Pablo for a short documentary in 2014.[7] While making the short Devlin attended one of Jaya's live comedy shows. Pablo then starred in Devlin's first hybrid feature When The Storm Fades.[13] Funding was secured for Asog from the Doc Society UK,[14] Frameline Film Festival,[15] and Creative BC.[16]

Production

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The film was made with a guerrilla crew of 5 people on a micro budget of $255,000 USD.[17] There are no trained actors in the film. To make the process simpler for the cast they were all invited to perform in whichever Filipino dialect they felt most comfortable speaking in. Devlin is a Filino-Canadian who was born and raised in Canada but doesn't speak any Filipino dialects. So he directed through a translator and built scenes largely through improvisation.[7][14]

Distribution

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Asog was acquired by Film Movement for limited theatrical and digital distribution in the United States.[18] It screened at over 40 international festivals in 15 countries across 5 continents.[14]

Impact & Censorship

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When production began on the film in 2019 Ayala Land Inc (ALI) had not agreed to address any of the demands of the residents they displaced in Sicogon. After the production secured funding from Doc Society UK in 2021 ALI signed a reparations agreement to meet all the demands from the 784 families who had refused to leave the island. However the corporation consistently delayed the actual delivery of the reparations, only funding the construction of 6 homes by 2022. During the film's post-production an additional 144 homes were built, with another 250 homes built as it toured the festival circuit in 2023. In August 2024, Asog made its Philippine premiere at the Cinemalaya film festival, the same year the festival controversially canceled screenings of the Lost Sabungeros documentary. The film was programmed to screen only once and at a cinema owned by Ayala. Festival attendees reported numerous ways that the company meddled in the screening. People were falsely told the screening was sold out even though a journalist reported that the cinema was only 20% full. The company did not make tickets available for purchase in advance as they did with the festivals other films. They also added a disclaimer to the start of the film which falsely claimed that the residents of Sicogon were "satisfied" with Ayala's conduct on the island.[14] Following the screening the filmmakers posted about the sabotage and demanded that Ayala Land Inc pay 32 million Philippine Pesos that were owed to the community as Iivelihood reparations. The post went viral and led to the corporation paying the amount in full within 24 hours.[7][14][5]

Co-stars Jaya and Arnel Pablo on red carpet at Tribeca Premiere.

Reception

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Film Threat wrote that the film is "drop-dead gorgeous" adding "Asog isn’t just a movie; it’s a luminous testament to the human spirit to move on after disaster."[19] Upon its US release in April 2025 Letterboxd included Asog in its Monthly Watchlist of the best new films.[20]

The jury at the Hawai'i International Film Festival awarded the film the Grand Jury Kau Ka Hōkū award stating "this work signals the emergence of an exciting new voice in cinema."[21] The jury included Berlinale Co-Director of Programming Jacqueline Lyanga and former Sundance Director of Programming Trevor Groth.[22]

Accolades

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Year Awards Category Result Ref.
2023 Warsaw International Film Festival (Poland) Free Spirit Prize Nominated [23]
2023 Goa International Film Festival (India) Golden Peacock Nominated [11]
2023 Vancouver International Film Festival (Canada) Audience Award (Spectrum) Won [24]
2023 Vancouver International Film Festival (Canada) Best Canadian Documentary Special Jury Mention [25]
2023 Vancouver International Film Festival (Canada) Best BC Film Special Jury Mention [25]
2023 São Paulo International Film Festival (Brazil) Best Performance (Special Jury Prize) Won [26]
2023 São Paulo International Film Festival (Brazil) New Directors Competition Nominated [23]
2023 Hawai'i International Film Festival (USA) Kau Ka Hōkū (Grand Jury Award) Won [27]
2023 Outfest (USA) Outstanding Screenwriting (International Film) Won [28]
2023 Calgary International Film Festival Canadian Narrative Competition Special Jury Mention [29]
2024 Bali International Film Festival (Indonesia) Committee Choice Prize Won [30]
2024 Milan MIX Film Festival (Italy) Best Feature Film Won [23]
2024 Lisbon Queer Film Festival (Portugal) Best Feature Film Won [23]
2024 Roze Filmdagen (Netherlands) Hivos Prize Won [31]
2024 Ljubljana LGBT Film Festival (Slovenia) Best Feature Film Won [32]
2025 Ibiza Cinema Fest (Spain) Best Feature Film Critics Prize Won [33]

References

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  1. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (February 26, 2025). "Film Movement Acquires U.S. Rights To Adam McKay & Alan Cumming EPd Philippines Land Grab Docudrama 'Asog'". Deadline.
  2. ^ Drew Burnett Gregory, "'The Fabulous Ones' and 'Asog' Tell Trans Stories with Fact and Faction". Autostraddle, July 19, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Campbell, Charlie (June 5, 2025). "Fishing Communities in the Philippines Are Fighting for their Future as Waters Rise". Time Magazine.
  4. ^ a b Wang, Mel (April 3, 2025). "6 Filipino Documentaries that Confronted Censorship". Rolling Stone Magazine (Philippines).
  5. ^ a b "How Asog shamed Ayala Land into paying up 'Yolanda' victims in Sicogon". Bilyonaryo News Channel. March 23, 2025.
  6. ^ Lugay, Elton (March 27, 2025). "'Asog' film sheds light on plight of Typhoon Haiyan victims". The Inquirer (USA).
  7. ^ a b c d Wang, Mel (May 22, 2025). "'Asog': The Biggest Movie That The Philippines Has Never Seen". Rolling Stone Magazine (Philippines).
  8. ^ Benchetrit, Jenna (May 20, 2023). "A Canadian guide to the 2023 Cannes Film Festival". CBC News.
  9. ^ Jason P. Frank, "Tribeca Film Festival Is What Baking Did for Waitress". Vulture, April 18, 2023.
  10. ^ Frater, Patrick (October 8, 2023). "EST N8 Adds Hong Kong Remake of 'Tape,' Filipino Comedy 'ASOG' to Bulging Busan Film Sales Slate". Variety.
  11. ^ a b "15 movies to compete for Prestigious Golden Peacock Award at 54th IFFI". Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for Government of India. November 24, 2023.
  12. ^ Ayurella Horn-Muller, "Tribeca film "story of hope" for LGBTQ disaster survivors". Axios, June 1, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Yusuf, Abeer (October 4, 2018). "This 'Docudramedy' Finds Laughs in the Horror of Climate Change". VICE.
  14. ^ a b c d e Friedlander, Jason (March 12, 2025). "Whatever Happened to Asog?". Sinegang.
  15. ^ Angelica Babiera, "Three Canadian projects receive Frameline’s 2023 completion fund". Playback, February 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Townsend, Kelly. "Creative BC gives $300K to doc, factual grant recipients". Playback.
  17. ^ "Cannes Docs: Asog". Cannes Marché Du Film.
  18. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (February 26, 2025). "Film Movement Acquires U.S. Rights To Adam McKay & Alan Cumming EPd Philippines Land Grab Docudrama 'Asog'". Deadline.
  19. ^ Ng, Alan (April 15, 2025). "Asog Review". Film Threat.
  20. ^ "Watchlist This! our April 2025 picks of the best new bubbling-under films". Letterboxd. April 16, 2025.
  21. ^ Sanders, Jason (December 21, 2023). "Stories Shared, Stories Known: the 2023 Hawai'i International Film Festival". Filmmaker Magazine.
  22. ^ "HIFF43 Announces Honorees and Jury Award Winners". Hawai'i International Film Festival. October 23, 2023.
  23. ^ a b c d "Asog Awards and Nominations". IMDB.
  24. ^ "2023 Awards and Competitions". VIFF.org. October 8, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Wells, V.S. (October 5, 2023). "VIFF announces award winners". The Georgia Straight.
  26. ^ "See the winners of the 47th São Paulo International Film Festival". 47.Mostra.org. November 1, 2023.
  27. ^ Frater, Patrick (October 26, 2023). "'No Maori Allowed' Wins Top Prize at Hawaii Film Festival, as Don Lee, Ando Sakura and Cliff Curtis Claim Spotlight (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  28. ^ Daniel Reynolds, "Outfest 2023: And the Winners Are...". Out, July 24, 2023.
  29. ^ Aryn Toombs, "Winners of 2023 CIFF competitions unveiled". LiveWire Calgary, September 25, 2023.
  30. ^ Frater, Patrick (June 7, 2024). "Sheron Dayoc's 'The Gospel of the Beast' Wins Narrative Feature Prize at Balinale". Variety.
  31. ^ "Philippine film 'ASOG' wins the Hivos Free to be Me Award". Hivos.
  32. ^ "Na 40. festivalu LGBT filma podeljene nagrade". Ljubljana LGBT Film Festival. Društvo ŠKUC. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  33. ^ "#IBZCF25 WINNERS RANKING PUBLISHED". Ibiza Cinema Festival. April 8, 2025.
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