Carl Joseph Papa rotoscopes an invisible grief in Rotterdam animated docudrama ‘58th’ 

Practically 17 years in the past, 58 harmless lives have been brutally taken in Ampatuan city in what’s now often called the Maguindanao bloodbath, the one deadliest assault on journalists in fashionable historical past. However in December 2019, solely 57 victims have been formally acknowledged by a Quezon Metropolis courtroom, leaving the case of Tacurong Metropolis-based photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, whose physique has by no means been retrieved following the mass killings, in limbo.

At the moment, the seek for full justice continues.

Carl Joseph Papa revisits the carnage by way of a language he is aware of greatest: animation. The filmmaker has assembled a few hundred animators, sifted by way of years’ value of archival footage and hundreds of pages of authorized paperwork, and sat down for hours with Reynafe Momay Castillo, daughter of the lacking sufferer. 

What outcomes is a rotoscoped docufiction that’s by turns a research in reminiscence and historic accounting and a private quest towards correct therapeutic. The film rotoscopes and dramatizes Castillo’s belated recollection of the bloodbath and tireless battle for full accountability, interspersed with documentary proof to time-shifting impact. Glaiza de Castro performs the daughter, whereas the late Ricky Davao (in his final performing challenge) portrays the eponymous final sufferer.

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“For 16 years, our household has carried an invisible grief — one made heavier by the truth that my father’s identify nonetheless waits to be acknowledged in full as a sufferer of this brutal bloodbath,” Castillo beforehand instructed Rappler. “And but, regardless of the ache, we proceed to face as a result of we all know he deserves to be remembered, honored, and acknowledged.”

Co-produced by GMA Footage and GMA Public Affairs, 58th is making its world premiere on the 2026 Worldwide Movie Pageant Rotterdam, the place Papa’s award-winning Iti Mapukpukaw (The Lacking) additionally screened in 2024.

Coping with doubts

It was Iti Mapukpukaw government producer Nessa Valdellon who supplied Papa to direct and co-write the animated documentary. However the filmmaker needed to parry self-doubt at first, given the “delicate nature” of the Maguindanao bloodbath. 

“Finally, I accepted the problem as a result of I imagine it’s important to recollect the previous, and to tell and educate these unfamiliar with this occasion,” Papa instructed Rappler. “Movie grants immortality, and the tales of these misplaced need to be immortalized.”

Papa felt he needed to communicate with Castillo prior to creating the challenge. “Whereas I had examine her in out there assets, it was vital for me to attach together with her straight, construct a friendship, and permit her to share her story on her personal phrases,” he mentioned. 

“She was extremely open,” he added. “Her motivation for sharing her expertise was clear: to safe justice for the lack of her father, Reynaldo ‘Bebot’ Momay, and to display that her battle continues, even in spite of everything these years.”

Papa acknowledged that he’s an outsider to the story he’s telling, and the movie displays that positionality by way of a story system and the character performed by Mikoy Morales, the director’s self-insert.

“The movie goals to seize the emotional depth I skilled whereas researching this matter,” Papa defined. “My conversations with Reynafe have been extremely shifting, main me to beforehand unexplored emotional territories and revealing tales of such intense darkness I hadn’t imagined existed.”

“My purpose, as with the movie 58th, is to inform tales with honesty and sincerity,” he continued.

Placing the movie collectively

Whereas precise filming solely took round every week, Papa mentioned pre-production legwork was much more “rigorous.” “It was closely deliberate, and we strictly adopted our bible and our schedule,” famous the director. “Adopted instantly by post-production.”

To construct the movie’s narrative scaffolding, he turned to the yearslong works of supervising producer Johnson Tam and artistic producer Ian Simbulan, who’ve been monitoring the story since day one, alongside different GMA researchers.

The toughest half, recalled Papa, was spending days poring over and making sense of the huge quantity of archival materials at his disposal throughout post-production with co-writer Aica Ganhinhin and editor Benjamin Tolentino, each of whom are his frequent collaborators. 

“As that is my first documentary, I used to be dedicated to creating a movie rooted in sincerity and devoted to displaying the reality,” he mentioned.

The movie’s animation primarily depends on rotoscoping, during which animators hint over live-action footage body by body, although it additionally incorporates 3D animation that was subsequently rotoscoped. 

“Using animation was instrumental in recreating Reynafe’s recollections, permitting me to enter her thoughts, witness her reminiscences, and faithfully deliver them to life,” Papa mentioned of the method. “This course of highlighted animation as a robust instrument for each understanding and recreation.”

Giving life by way of animation

Since QCinema 2014’s live-action grief drama Ang ‘Di Paglimot ng mga Alaala, Papa grinded his method to native animation glory, which incorporates directing the primary full-length animated movie to compete and win the highest prize at Cinemalaya and to change into the Philippines’ official submission for the elusive Finest Worldwide Function Oscar.

“I’m immensely happy with the work now we have achieved and the collaborations I’ve been part of over time,” Papa mentioned. “Wanting again solely fuels my want to discover new tasks with these gifted people.”

“My motivation for utilizing animation differs throughout my movies,” mentioned the director, when requested about his beloved storytelling medium. “In 58th, it served to recreate reminiscences, significantly these of others. For Iti Mapukpukaw, it was a method of self-healing. Basically, although, I see animation as a method to ‘give life,’ and I make use of it to inform tales that need to be delivered to life.”

Papa clarified that he isn’t precisely refusing different types of filmmaking; he merely hasn’t discovered the best story but. That, nonetheless, will quickly change, following his collaboration with first-time director Ian Pangilinan within the forthcoming Cinepanalo live-action function Patay Gutom. 

The director additionally cited Richard Linklater as a dream collaborator, alongside Elijah Canlas (which is probably going occurring quickly), Sue Prado, and Cedrick Juan.

Over a decade into his profession, Papa noticed a shift in his filmmaking philosophy, particularly after Ang ‘Di Paglimot ng mga Alaala, 2015’s Manang Biring, and the 2013 quick movie iNay.

“Beforehand, my narratives have been extra easy as I used to be nonetheless discovering my voice,” he revealed. “Nevertheless, following these three tasks, I started to give attention to deeply private tales, drawing inspiration from my household, shut mates, and life experiences.”

The identical could be mentioned of the native movie follow, which, in line with the director, is now extra conscious of the position time performs in shaping a filmmaker’s imaginative and prescient, whilst the remainder of the world accelerates.

“The understanding that persons are not machines and shouldn’t be overworked within the pursuit of artwork and fervour is rising,” he mentioned. “Basically, earlier than we’re artists, we’re human beings. This attitude calls for that we deal with each other with respect and worth.”

Papa mentioned full assist for native animation is likewise inside attain. “The FDCP’s current efforts in championing each animation and documentary movies are a notable step ahead. Moreover, native movie festivals are demonstrating elevated openness to animated works.”

Requested about promising abilities, the filmmaker named the likes of Aurthur Mercader and the remainder of the animators at Puppeteer Studios, in addition to Lysa Catolica and Jazmine Pateña, co-directors of the QCinema animated quick RUNO!, which Papa co-produced. 

“I view their expertise as indicative of the brilliant way forward for Philippine animation,” he mentioned. – Rappler.com

“58th” screens at Rotterdam below its Harbour programme on January 31 and February 2 and 4. Verify the competition’s web site for full particulars.