‘Liway’: The cradle of history

Kip Oebanda’s autobiographical drama, Liway, ends on a hopeful note. In it, the characters, hand-in-hand, sought a light at the end of the tunnel, and by some miracle found it. 

Watching it now presents an important lesson: the cradle of knowing our history is knowing not to repeat it. But more than that, should we relive the same darkness, we’ll know from experience how to reclaim the light.

The film, directed and co-written by Kip Oebanda, recounts the life inside a prison camp during Martial Law. Glaiza de Castro plays the title character. Kenken Nuyad plays Dakip, a character based on the writer-director as a young boy. 

Liway premiered at the 2018 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival where it won the Audience Award and the Special Jury citation “for its timely subject matter and for its writer/director who courageously opened himself up to share with others his very revealing past.” 

Glaiza de Castro, Chuck Gutierrez, and the tandem of Kip Oebanda and Zig Dulay won Best Actress, Best Editing, and Best Screenplay at the 2019 Film Academy of the Philippines Awards, respectively.

For more Filipino short films, watch Contestant #4, Si Astri maka si Tambulah, and Pusong Bato on Act One. – Rappler.com

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