Legend of China Doll

  • 85'
  • Philippines
  • 2013
In the opening scene of Legend of China Doll, a journalist is rapped on the knuckles by a detective because he published information about a woman called China Doll. He has put her in danger, the detective says, and the story is all wrong. The journalist shrugs his shoulders. There are many truths, he answers, depending on who experiences it. The two quarrel briefly, then the journalist walks out of the bar into the night. When the detective takes another swig of his beer, we hear gunshots.
What follows is an inimitable (non-chronological), grim, very violent political conspiracy thriller directed by the Filipino auteur-provocateur Adolfo B. Alix Jr., based on a script by his very respected fellow countryman Lav Diaz. Everything focuses on (journalistic) integrity and - above all - on China Doll, a mythical young woman with a constantly changing identity and a very violent past.


  • 85'
  • Philippines
  • 2013
Director
Adolfo Alix Jr.
Premiere
International premiere
Country of production
Philippines
Year
2013
Festival Edition
IFFR 2014
Length
85'
Medium
DCP
Original title
Alamat ni China Doll
Language
Filipino
Producer
Ronald Arguelles
Production Company
ABS-CBN Creative Programs Inc.
Sales
ABS-CBN Creative Programs Inc.
Screenplay
Lav Diaz
Cinematography
Albert Banzon
Editor
Charliebebs Gohetia
Production Design
Adolfo Alix Jr.
Sound Design
Mark Locsin, Dante Cuanico, Albert Michael Idioma, Alex Tomboc
Music
Lav Diaz
Cast
Angelica Panganiban, Cesar Montano
Director
Adolfo Alix Jr.
Premiere
International premiere
Country of production
Philippines
Year
2013
Festival Edition
IFFR 2014
Length
85'
Medium
DCP
Original title
Alamat ni China Doll
Language
Filipino
Producer
Ronald Arguelles
Production Company
ABS-CBN Creative Programs Inc.
Sales
ABS-CBN Creative Programs Inc.
Screenplay
Lav Diaz
Cinematography
Albert Banzon
Editor
Charliebebs Gohetia
Production Design
Adolfo Alix Jr.
Sound Design
Mark Locsin, Dante Cuanico, Albert Michael Idioma, Alex Tomboc
Music
Lav Diaz
Cast
Angelica Panganiban, Cesar Montano