The 11th Active Vista Human Rights Festival 2023
September 21 to September 30, 2023
The 11th Active Vista Human Rights Festival: Rebelasyon invites you to open a third eye—to forge new ways of seeing beyond the illusion and embrace unwavering critical thinking. By spotlighting stories from the regions through satellite festivals, screening films that blend absurdity with reality, opening discussions through art, humor, and performances, and by conducting educational forums that encourage in-depth reflection, this year’s Active Vista Human Rights Festival paves a path for its audience to seek beyond the trick of the eye, never to be fooled again.
Welcome to the Grand Reveal—where our act of rebellion begins in our act of revelation.
In the labyrinth of deceptions, the truth stands patiently, waiting to be revealed.
In the 2022 elections, the man behind the curtain waved his wand, putting our nation under a spell of lies and deceit, resulting in the most absurd event in the country’s recent history: he and his trickster of a family have returned to power. His trickery and misdirections continue to this day through disinformation, historical distortion, and abuse of power-presented in a false facade of peace and progress, embellished with gimmickry, entrapping the audience to clamor for more.
When deceit weaves its webs, our rebellion is a force that tears through its threads.
As the trickster basks in the audience’s unwitting attention, it is also the same keen attention that sees beyond the fraudulent show.
The narratives of magic realism have time and time again been clearly depicted: Heroes will go behind the curtain, dig deeper into the lies, and expose the naked truth-with all its absurdity, spectacle, and despair. It is us, who had enough of the same show, who reveal the reality behind the illusion that has long plagued our nation: from the then-Marcos regime’s manufactured Golden Age Era to today’s hypnotism of Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Mukha.
In this new awakening, we shall pave a path for others to seek beyond the trick of the eye, never to be fooled again.
In forging relationships with each other, we defy the sorcery’s allure. For genuine unity breaks the spell of a false one.
The 11th edition of the Active Vista Human Rights Festival: Rebelasyon invites everyone not only to keep our eyes wide open, but to open a third eye. An eye that sees through the false promise of P20/kilo rice, and discerns that our seeming economic progress only benefits the few. An eye that reads between the massive orchestrated historical distortion and disinformation. An eye that scrutinizes the government’s measures that endanger our lives, livelihoods, and ways of living.
Welcome to the Grand Reveal-where our collective act of revelation sparks an unwavering rebellion for truth, historical integrity, and humanity.
___________
The Active Vista Human Rights Festival is presented by DAKILA through its Active Vista Center. It is is an annual event that celebrates rights, freedoms, and dignity through stories of human struggles with the use of film screenings, exhibits, performances, forums, and events.
Film Screening
“Are you ready? One.. two.. three!” the magician prompts before the Grand Reveal!
Three human rights films will be screened in DLSU leading up to the Opening of the Active Vista Human Rights Festival on September 21! This is part of their commemoration program for the 51st Anniversary of Martial Law, in partnership with DLSU Committee on National Issues and Concerns.
As we drumbeat for the festival, let’s begin unraveling tricks and breaking spells of deception — one film at a time!
Respeto
September 19, 2023
Screening + Talkback | 2PM – 5PM
Screening only | 6PM – 8PM
DLSU: Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium
Delikado
September 20, 2023
Screening + Talkback | 2PM – 5PM
Screening only | 6PM – 8PM
DLSU: Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium
11,103 + Negros Special
September 21 | 2PM – 6PM
DLSU: Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium
Festival Opening
September 21, 2023, Thursday, 4PM – 9PM
Gateway Mall – Cinema 1
Cubao, Quezon City
O, Kalayaan… Naglaho sa kawalan! Masigabong palakpakan!?
The Showman recited his spell and waved his hand, leading to a surprising reveal: his family’s return to power despite a history of atrocities and corruption. But don’t blink. This part is where you hold your breath and fix your eyes on the faded thread that gives the trick away.
The 11th Active Vista Human Rights Festival: REBELASY👁️N opens on September 21 with the First Philippine Theatrical Screening of Midnight in a Perfect World by Dodo Dayao and the culmination of Weaving Back the Threads of our Histories exhibit.
You would want to witness the unraveling of the mystery!
Seats are limited. Secure your slot through this link: https://bit.ly/avfest11opening
PANORAMA | Festival Events
Active Vista provides platforms for citizen-led actions to reclaim public spaces online or offline through creative expressions of their imaginations towards the realization of their imagined nation. Active Vista Panorama showcases a range of human rights-themed performances, exhibits, talks, and series of events to present an extensive and wide-angle view of creative pursuits and interventions as transformative tools to promote the human rights cause.
PAK YEAH!
KOMIKERO HANGOUT
Politikal ang Komiks Exhibit and Talk
23 September | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Quezon City
WALANG BASAGAN NG TRIP! TALAKAN AT TUGTUGAN
Debate and Music Performances
07 October | 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
123 Block
Mandaluyong City
VIEWPOINTS | Festival Forums
Active Vista organizes viewpoints, a series of forums and dialogues that complement the thematic film screenings of the festival. Here, issues are presented and dissected through the lens of various voices allowing the audiences to participate in dynamic ways of seeing the narratives in the broader societal context and perspectives, and in the moving images that project truths on the important global issues.
HOW TO WATCH A FILM
Film Talk
22 September | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Sine Pop
CLIMATE EMERGENCY FORUM
with a special screening of Kun Maupay Man It Panahon
30 September | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Gateway Mall – Cinema 1
Quezon City
Film Screenings + Talkbacks:
Home Fronts
“Tao po!” FIlipinos usually say this when visiting homes to declare they are human and not aswangs.
This year, 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐬 brings stories of humanity’s battle against impunity, injustice, violence, and climate change close to spaces where discourse are most needed. The films present varying narratives of personal struggles in the context of society, ushering us to a revelation of truth and the reclamation of our humanity.
Active Vista Human Rights Festival: REBELASYON presents tales at the home fronts that redefine battle lines. Are you ready to identify the monsters among us and the spells that bind us?
Legacy of Struggle: Cinematic Perspectives on Martial Law
September 22 | 1 PM to 6 PM
UPFI Film Center, Quezon City
In partnership with Cinemata, “Legacy of Struggle: Cinematic Perspectives on Martial Law” reveals the impact of the dark historical chapter that continues to cast its shadow over the Philippines to this day.
Join us for the screening of five films, followed by a post-screening discussion!
🎟 FREE ADMISSION
🎫 Register thru this link: bit.ly/legacyofstruggle
11,103
September 23, 2023 (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
Sine Pop, Cubao, Quezon City
May naririnig ka ba? Naririnig mo ba ang mga boses nila?
Get a chance to watch this powerful documentary featuring survivor stories of state-sponsored violence during the Martial Law years of dictator Ferdinand Marcos!
The Public Screening of 11,103 is scheduled on .
Ticket price is PhP 150.00.
Seats are limited so make sure to RSVP thru this link: bit.ly/SinePop11103
Walk-ins and on-site payment are accepted.
Alimuom
September 26, 2023 (3:00 PM)
Sine Pop, Cubao, Quezon City
The 11th Active Vista Human Rights Festival: REBELASYON transports you to a futuristic and fantastical Philippines with the screening of Keith Sicat’s Alimuom!
The film tells of a reality where specific sections of the country are under individual bio-domes. In this world, the OFWs stand for Outerspace Filipino Workers and the song Bahay-Kubo is a distant memory that makes a young boy ask: “Ano ang singkamas?”
📍 Sine Pop, Cubao, Quezon City
🎟Ticket price is PhP 150.00.
🎫 Seats are limited so make sure to RSVP thru this link: bit.ly/SinePopAlimuom
Walk-ins and on-site payment are accepted.
Aswang
September 26, 2023 (6:00 PM)
Sine Pop, Cubao, Quezon City
Mag-ingat sa Aswang!
Mas dapat bang katakutan ang halimaw na nasa kwento lang o totoong taong walang habas na pumapasalang?
When Rodrigo Duterte is voted president of the Philippines, he sets in motion a machinery of death to execute suspected drug peddlers, users, and small-time criminals. Aswang follows people whose fates entwine with the growing violence during two years of killings in Manila.
Ticket price is PhP 150.00.
Seats are limited so make sure to RSVP thru this link: bit.ly/AswangSinePop
Walk-ins and on-site payment are accepted.
Delikado
September 28, 2023 (5:00 PM)
UPFI Film Center, Quezon City
“Tabi-tabi po!”
We say it as a gesture of respect to the unseen guardians of nature. But did you know real ecological defenders in Palawan receive death threats for protecting our forests?
Get to know their story in this Public Screening of The Emmy-nominated documentary Delikado.
🎟Ticket price is PhP 200.00.
🎫 Register thru this link: bit.ly/UPFIDelikadoScreening
Walk-ins and on-site payment are accepted.
For inquiries, you may contact activevistafest@dakila.org.ph
Maria
September 29, 2023 (4:00 PM)
UPFI Film Center, Quezon City
Maria by She Andes, the first documentary film to compete in Cinemalaya history.
SYNOPSIS:
Maria is a common given name to a Filipina. In 2016, Duterte’s drug war left 26,000 to 30,000 families, fatherless or husbandless. The wives and mothers of the killed victims are left trying to meet both ends for their families. The documentary follows three women named Maria after the bloodbath of Duterte’s drug war. A staunch supporter turned victim, a wife & mother fighting for their rights, and a woman who became a beacon of hope.
🎟Ticket price is PhP 150.00.
🎫 Walk-ins and on-site payment only.
