Lav Diaz
Filmography
(selection) Serafin Geronimo, kriminal ng barrio concepcion/Criminal of Barrio Concepcion (1998), Burger Boys (1999), Hubad sa ilalim ng buwan/Naked Under the Moon (1999), Batang West Side/West Side Kid (2002), Hesus rebolusyonaryo/Jesus, Revolutionary (2002), Ebolusyon ng isang pamilyang Pilipino/Evolution of a Filipino Family (2004), Heremias (Unang aklat: Ang alamat ng prinsesang bayawak)/Heremias (Book One: The Legend of the Lizard Princess) (2006), Kagadanan sa banwaan ning mga engkanto/Death in the Land of Encantos (2007), Melancholia (2008), Babae ng hangin/Woman of the Wind (2011), Siglo ng pagluluwal/Century of Birthing (2011), Mula sa kung ano ang noon/From What Is Before (2014), Mga anak ng unos/Storm Children – Book One (2014, doc), Hele sa hiwagang hapis/A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery (2016), Ang babaeng humayo/The Woman Who Left (2016), Ang panahon ng halimaw/Season of the Devil (2018), Ang hupa/The Halt (2019)
More info: Wikipedia, Lav Diaz
Lav Diaz at IFFR
Evolution of a Filipino Family
Feature that seems bent on discouraging: black & white and endlessly long, strict as a documentary from before the TV age. Raw, emotional, heart-warming and gripping. Empathise with a poor Filipino peasant family that is condemned to the city. Absolutely the most durable viewing experience of this festival.
630'
Philippines
IFFR 2005
Headless
What makes a man castrate himself? With colleague director Lav Diaz in the role of the bleeding man.
15'
Philippines
IFFR 2005
Heremias (Book One: The Legend of the Lizard Princess)
Majestic masterpiece by the Filipino Lav Diaz who takes his time to tell a story with great emotion. In meditative black & white images, the fateful life of travelling salesman in the countryside comes to life slowly but surely. He is the victim of corruption and theft, but his spirit doesn’t seem breakable.
540'
Philippines
IFFR 2006
Jesus the Revolutionary
A military junta has taken power on the Philippines. Their takeover is fought by Moslem separatists, communists and rival military. In the middle of the chaos there is Hesus Mariano: academic, musician, poet and sniper. Politically tinted science-fiction action drama with an attitude.
112'
Philippines
IFFR 2006
Balikbayan Box
A kid in the Filipino countryside. Everything is smaller and poorer than Cinema Paradiso, but the VHS cinema also appeals to the imagination. Innocence is soon lost and death is closer. Not everything is idyllic under the palm trees.
120'
Philippines
IFFR 2007
Heremias (Book One: The Legend of the Lizard Princess)
Majestic masterpiece by the Filipino Lav Diaz who takes his time to tell a story with great emotion. In meditative black & white images, the fateful life of travelling salesman in the countryside comes to life slowly but surely. He is the victim of corruption and theft, but his spirit doesn’t seem breakable.
540'
Philippines
IFFR 2007
Oldeastside
Filmmaker friend demolishes the masterpiece Batang West Side by Lav Diaz. Diaz looked at it and approved.
5'
Philippines
IFFR 2007
Todo todo teros
Basically an artist is also a terrorist, the protagonist thinks in an unguarded moment. And if he is a terrorist after all, then he might just as well be one. Not an instant product, but an experimental feature in which diary material is brought together to form an intriguing puzzle.
102'
Philippines
IFFR 2007

When the Rain Ended
The muddy scene outside a shop on a tropical rain day.
7'
Philippines
IFFR 2007
Death in the Land of Encantos
Lav Diaz is the master of the full-length film. Of the very long film, rather. A spontaneously made film against the background of the natural disaster that was caused by the hurricane Durian in 2006 in the Philippines. A film about new and old sorrow and also an ode to life goes on.
540'
Philippines
IFFR 2008
Manila's Dark Room
This is where the ghosts of the dictator couple Marcos and those of their victims live. The state of siege re-emerges. Maybe The Brockas' punk rock can chase out Satan, but one fears it can't. Installation by the master of the extremely long film.
Philippines
IFFR 2009
Melancholia
Yes it's quite a sit. And it's also in black-and-white. Didn't you hear it was very slow? This film asks for a certain commitment, but offers a lot in return. This Filipino master shares his insights and feelings with you. His sorrow. A lesson in life for the price of a cinema ticket.
480'
Philippines
IFFR 2009
The Middle Mystery of Kristo Negro
Maybe animal lovers should come in ten minutes too late. Yet the ritual slaughter of a young water buffalo is a powerful start to a sombre and nightmarish film about the Passion of Christ. No, it doesn't look like that are the film. This Christ has no idea either.
70'
Philippines
IFFR 2009
Purgatorio
It's not his first or only short film, but a short film by the master of the extremely long film is exceptional. Poetic and political.
16'
Philippines
IFFR 2009
Three Days of Darkness
It made the censors in the Philippines stutter. The filmmaker, in his vision of the Apocalypse as experienced by three women locked in a ghostly house, was not only inspired by horror, but also by porn films. You have been warned.
81'
Philippines
IFFR 2009
Butterflies Have No Memories
For anyone for whom thirteen hours is too long, here is a real Lav Diaz lasting less than an hour. Filled with nostalgia and hopelessness and a worried woman with long legs.
58'
South Korea
IFFR 2010
Century of Birthing
A majestic film in which two stories easily fit. One about a filmmaker who is a little like Diaz himself and wrestles with the completion of his film and with greedy film festival programmers. And one about a religious leader. Also a little like Diaz himself?
355'
Philippines
IFFR 2012
Florentina Hubaldo, CTE
As no other filmmaker, Lav Diaz is involved with the suffering of the people of the Philippines, with its history of colonialism, corruption and poverty. A philosophical drama about the psychological effects of injustice and arbitrariness. Two poor labourers leave the city looking for a treasure.
366'
Philippines
IFFR 2012
Legend of China Doll
The young Filipino director was once given a dark, political scenario for his birthday by the famous Lav Diaz. Only years later did he get round to filming it. A journalist investigates a woman with the name of China Doll. Knowledge, however, turns out to be dangerous here.
85'
Philippines
IFFR 2014
Norte, the End of History
Lav Diaz is a true storyteller; his stories are sometimes very long, often in black-and-white. This one lasts just four hours - and is in colour. About a murderer and the fate that befalls the man (and his family) accused of the murder. Like in a Russian novel.
250'
Philippines
IFFR 2014
Prologue to the Great Desaparecido
Great filmmaker prepares for a historical masterpiece set in an inhospitable, black-and-white jungle. A taster.
30'
Philippines
IFFR 2014
From What Is Before
The great chronicler of the sorrow of the Philippines at the peak of his ability. A whole village is followed in the struggle to survive during the years of dictatorship. It has the beauty of an old tropical photo album. Lav Diaz recently received the prestigious Prince Claus Award for his entire oeuvre. See also Storm Children - Book One
338'
Philippines
IFFR 2015
Storm Children - Book One
The landscape after the battle. Filmmaker of rivers of features surprises himself with a documentary about the consequences of super storm Yolanda (Haiyan) which raged over the Philippines like a war. He looks the way only he can look. Calmly, deep and sharp. For instance at the children who survived.
143'
Philippines
IFFR 2015
Wake (Subic)
Wake (Subic) forms, together with Vapor Trail (IFFR 2010), a monumental essay that investigates the context of the poisoning around former American bases on the Philippines. In its sparkling multiformity, the film touches on a much larger story about the tragic consequences of unimpeded militarism, historic amnesia and colonial relationships.
287'
Philippines
IFFR 2016
The Woman Who Left
Locked up for thirty years because of a false accusation and then to hear your relatives have disappeared. Moreover, the unexpectedly freed Horacia has to discover her country all over again. She takes pity on poor losers, from street hawkers to prostitutes, and plans revenge. A calm sit (nearly 4 hours) by master Diaz won the Golden Lion in Venice.
226'
Philippines
IFFR 2017
The Halt
The Philippines descend into darkness under a crazed dictator whilst facing a huge volcanic eruption in this political science fiction film by grand master Diaz.
278'
Philippines
IFFR 2020