A Thousand Cuts

This shows how the current government of the Philippines ran by Rodrigo Duterte is being manipulated to make things happen the way he want them to be - even if it resorts to ending countless lives and calling them "collateral damage". Maria Ressa and the rest of Rappler has poked this fascist and dictator where it hurts and will do everything - regardless of constitutionality - to silence these journalists.

A Thousand Cuts follows the story of Maria Ressa, the founder of the Filipino news site Rappler, and her conflict with the government under Rodrigo Duterte. We see the struggle for democracy and freedom of the press as very familiar tactics are used on the populace to turn them towards populism (e.g. Inflammatory rhetoric, bots and trolls, social media). We track Ressa's two arrests for "cyber libel" and the campaign for seats in the Philippine senate. Ressa herself is a hopeful figure, but the overall picture looks grim.

It depicts the extent the Philippine government is willing to go to suppress press freedom and to silence anyone who do not agree with them.

Also features: the weaponization of social media, poor karaoke renditions from a senator to-be, bravery in the face of daily terror, and voices of strong women in Maria Ressa, Pia Rañada, and Samira Gutoc as they continue trying to make the truth be heard with their heads held high.

This documentary is an eye-opener to how the Philippine government suppresses press freedom.