Culture
China Tried to Stop West Philippine Sea Documentary at New Zealand Film Festival
The festival called the docu "a banned film that must be seen."
Published on Jul 7, 2025
(SPOT.ph) The Filipino
documentary on the West Philippine Sea is back in the spotlight after a request to block its screening at a New Zealand film festival was made public.
Food Delivery: Fresh from the
West Philippine Sea by acclaimed filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama (Sunday Beauty Queen) was
scheduled to screen on July 4 at Doc Edge in Auckland. In a formal letter to the festival, the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of
China in Auckland urged festival organizers to withdraw the film from its programming. The letter insisted the documentary would “send the wrong message internationally”—before reiterating its rejection
of the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that invalidates China’s expansive claims
in the West Philippine Sea.
“The documentary ‘Food
Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea’ is rife with disinformation
and false propaganda, serving as a political tool for Philippines to pursue
illegitimate claims in the South China Sea," the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Auckland said in the letter. "Its screening would severely
mislead the public and send the wrong message internationally.”
The letter went on to suggest that allowing the screening could affect the diplomatic ties between China and New Zealand: “We hope that you will act in the
interest of public and China-New Zealand relations accountability by refraining
from screening this documentary.”
But Doc Edge Festival rejected the request.
“Doc Edge stands by our Kaupapa
and the festival’s independence and curatorial freedom,” the organizers said.
“We are, however, happy to put forward the point of view of the Chinese
Consulate-General for the sake of transparency and fairness.”
As of writing, the documentary
remains on the festival’s program, even bagging the Tides of Change award. Doc Edge Festival had previously referred to Food Delivery as “a banned film that must be seen.”
Click to Enlarge
Photo from Voyage Studios.
Not the first time for the West Philippine Sea documentary
Food Delivery explores the lives of Filipino fisherfolk as they navigate the rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea. According to the Doc Edge Festival synopsis, the documentary is about "a remarkable alliance: fishermen and Coast Guard risking their lives together to deliver food and aid. Visually stunning and deeply moving, this is a story of resilience, unity, and the fight for freedom."
This isn’t the first time Food
Delivery has faced political pressure. The documentary was originally
scheduled to premiere at the Puregold-backed indie film fest CinePanalo
in Quezon City from March 14 to 25 as one of the projects funded by the
festival’s grant program. Just two days before opening, however, the film was
abruptly removed from the lineup due to "external factors." It was never specified why.
Villarama has previously made it
clear that Food Delivery was never intended to be political.
She told Rolling Stone Philippines the documentary is meant to
foster empathy, not stir conflict, by showcasing the everyday struggles of
Filipino fishermen and maritime personnel working in contested waters.
Micah believes that writing is always political. Beyond the byline, you’ll find her bruising herself in a pole studio or napping with her beagle. Reach her at micah@spot.ph.
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