China slammed for trying to block Filipino West PH Sea docu

This handout photo taken on December 11, 2023 and released by the Atin Ito Coalition shows Philippine Coast Guard personnel riding on a pontoon, with goods collected from the civilian boat ML Showee (back), to the Philippine-held Nanshan island in the disputed South China Sea. A convoy of civilian boats planning to deliver provisions to Filipino fishermen and troops in the disputed South China Sea aborted the trip on December 10 after “constant shadowing” by Chinese vessels, the organiser said. (Photo by Handout / ATIN ITO COALITION / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines – China has drawn criticism for attempting to stop the screening of a Filipino documentary on the West Philippine Sea at a film festival in New Zealand.

The Chinese Consulate General in Auckland confirmed, in a statement shared by Doc Edge, that it requested the festival on July 4 to cancel further screenings of “Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a statement on July 5 that it “stands firm with the makers of the award-winning documentary ‘Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea,’ in defending truth and sovereignty.”

“The AFP supports efforts that shed light on the realities faced by Filipino fisherfolk and maritime defenders in the West Philippine Sea,” it added.

The documentary by Filipino filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama follows fisherfolk and coast guard officers navigating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, which China claims almost entirely.

Nonprofit organization Center for Information Resilience and Integrity Studies (CIRIS) also condemned China’s diplomatic pressure on the festival, calling it “an attempt to suppress credible storytelling.”

“At CIRIS, we firmly believe that in the face of disinformation, misinformation, and malign influence (DMMI) campaigns, especially by foreign actors, transparent access to credible storytelling is a powerful defense,” said CIRIS.

The group lauded Doc Edge for resisting the request and said the film “delivers an unflinching, human-centered portrayal of sacrifice, struggle, and perseverance.”

“Its message is more urgent than ever—and the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) attempt at suppression only underscores the documentary’s importance,” it added.

In a statement posted by Doc Edge, the Chinese Consulate described the film as “rife with disinformation and false propaganda,” and claimed it “peddles groundless accusations against China.”

The consulate also rejected the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which invalidated China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. It called the decision “illegal, null and void.”

The festival, however, stood its ground.

Doc Edge emphasized its commitment to freedom of artistic expression and transparency, saying it had received both written and verbal appeals from the Chinese mission. “Doc Edge stands by our filmmakers and believes that documentary storytelling plays an important role in fostering understanding and dialogue,” the statement read.

READ: Docu ‘Food Delivery’ wins prize at Oscar-qualifying Doc Edge Fest

The AFP praised the film “Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea” in a statement on July 4 for portraying “the everyday bravery and unwavering determination” of Filipino fisherfolk and uniformed personnel deployed in the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“As guardians of Philippine sovereignty, the AFP remains committed to collaborating with the creative sector in inspiring national consciousness, preserving the truth, and honoring those who serve,” the military said.

The documentary had its world premiere on June 30 at The Capitol Cinema in Auckland after being pulled from a Philippine festival in March due to “external factors.”

The film later won Doc Edge’s Tides of Change Award, which honors works tackling global and social issues.

READ: China Coast Guard stops shadowing PH civilian ship in West PH Sea

The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI) described the film’s removal from the local festival in Manila as “a troubling trend in the suppression of artistic expression and the silencing of truth.”

New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reaffirmed the country’s commitment to freedom of expression in a statement sent to 1News, saying that arts and cultural programming “should be independent from political pressure.”

The documentary’s producer, Villarama, has not issued a public statement since the incident.

The West Philippine Sea, a portion of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, has long been a flashpoint between the Philippines and PRC.

Despite the 2016 arbitral ruling, Chinese vessels remain a constant presence in the disputed waters.