And So It Begins Review: A Wake Up Call on Democracy’s Fragility

Ramona S. Diaz shines a light on the ongoing struggle in her homeland with the documentary “And So It Begins“. Those familiar with Diaz’s work know she isn’t afraid to tackle complex issues affecting the Philippines. In her previous film “A Thousand Cuts”, she profiled journalist Maria Ressa’s battle for press freedom under President Rodrigo Duterte’s authoritarian rule.

“And So It Begins” shifts focus to the 2022 national election as Duterte’s term ended. Voters faced a choice with heavy stakes – between continuing his legacy, or changing course towards a more democratic path. Leni Robredo, Duterte’s former vice president, launched a campaign promoting hope, unity and justice. But standing in her way was Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, son of the late dictator. His strategy relied more on manipulation than vision.

Between Robredo’s grassroots movement and the disinformation swarming the electorate, this film captures a pivotal moment. While giving us a sense of these candidates, issues and tensions, Diaz’s documentary also leaves some things wanting for more depth. Overall though, her work shines necessary light on the Philippine’s democratic future, and the courageous figures fighting for truth.

Democracy on the Ballot

To understand the elections featured in this film, some context is needed. Philippines elections work a bit differently than in other countries. Voters there elect a president and vice president separately. This created an unique situation in 2016.

That year, Rodrigo Duterte became president. But Leni Robredo won the vice presidency, running on an opposing ticket. As vice president under the authoritarian Duterte, Robredo often found herself at odds with the president. He frequently attacked and undermined her. Duterte dismissed Robredo’s leadership, even claiming women weren’t fit to hold high office.

So when Duterte’s single allowed term ended, Robredo saw her chance. She jumped into the 2022 presidential race, promising a more democratic vision for the country. But standing in her way was Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. His father had once ruled as a brutal dictator, imposing widespread human rights abuses for over two decades.

Bongbong Jr. long denied the severity of his father’s crimes. And in the decades since they were ousted, the Marcoses worked hard at revising history in their favor. This allowed Bongbong Jr.to appeal to Filipinos who’d grown up without living under the dictatorship. With his deep pockets and social media campaign pushing lies, he rose as Robredo’s main challenger.

The election had become a pivotal moment. Voters faced a choice between continuing Duterte’s destructive legacy, or steering in a direction that respected civil rights and liberties. Robredo embodied the latter. But in the information-warped modern world, democracy itself hung in the balance.

Colour and Controversy

For many Filipinos, the 2022 election offered two very different visions of leadership. Leni Robredo championed a campaign rooted in hope, symbolised by her supporters’ ubiquitous colour – pink. Backed by a spirited grassroots movement, Robredo’s rallies saw crowds swelling in their thousands.

Music played a big part in energizing Robredo’s supporters. Popular songs took on new meanings as lyrics shouted her name, whether it was “Let It Be Leni” or “Hot Stuff for Leni”. These events welcomed people from all walks, making space especially for the youth, women and LGBTQ communities.

Robredo talked passionately about guiding the nation with compassion. She aimed to steer it away from the divisiveness of Rodrigo Duterte’s authoritarian rule. With a background as a lawyer and widow, Robredo vowed to represent ordinary Filipinos and bring integrity to office. Her campaign truly embodied positive change through unity and inclusion.

Yet opposing Robredo was Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, the son of the late dictator. He worked to paint his father’s controversial regime in a more flattering light. Visitors to the Marcos family home witnessed a highly curated version of history that downplayed their illegitimate wealth and human rights abuses.

Unlike Robredo’s hopeful message, Marcos Jr pushed a nationalist agenda and relied heavily on disinformation online. Propaganda claiming vast amounts of hidden wealth spread widely on social media. He shunned journalist interviews and fact-checking, instead communicating through rallies and personal vloggers.

This strategy proved remarkably effective for Marcos Jr. But where he saw tradition, others saw distortion of the truth and failure to address the suffering of the past. While Robredo brought people together through her vision of unity and love for the Filipino people, Marcos Jr ultimately delivered controversy and division.

Truth in the Crosshairs

Maria Ressa has made it her life’s work to uncover the truth, even when powerful forces try to obscure it. As the founder of news site Rappler, she seeks to shine a light on important issues in the Philippines through diligent investigative journalism.

Her commitment to this role has come at great personal cost, as And So It Begins outlines. Ressa finds herself the repeated target of lawsuits seemingly intended to drain her resources and deter others. Her team even receives alarming “crash courses” on how to stay safe amid heavy-handed intimidation tactics.

Through Ressa’s efforts, truths have emerged about controversial topics like Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. But her persistence has also generated much ire and online “trolling”, with misogynistic attacks all too common. Ressa stays devoted to her principles regardless, accepting the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in 2021.

Diaz uses Ressa as a lens to examine how disinformation and propaganda undermine democratic values. Whether it’s coordinated harassment campaigns or false viral narratives, these sinister forces threatened the 2022 elections. Ressa cautions how a deluge of “alternative facts” can drown out legitimate reporting and sway public opinion.

Her insightful commentary provides important context for understanding the challenges facing Leni Robredo’s campaign. Yet Diaz spends more time with Ressa than within Robredo’s own movement. At times it feels these pivotal issues stand apart from, rather than enhance, our view of Robredo’s bid for leadership.

While Ressa’s perspective adds clarity, her story doesn’t fully integrate with Robredo’s in a way that strengthens both of their narratives. A more seamless weaving of their experiences could have potent dramatic and informative impact.

Filling Out Leni Robredo’s Portrait

While Leni Robredo inspires great enthusiasm from supporters, the film leaves the viewer still wanting to know more about the woman at the center of it all. We see the massive rallies and feel the energy of the crowds, but Robredo herself remains somewhat of an enigma.

Her compassion comes across clearly as she shares emotional stories from the campaign trail. People seem to connect with her warmth and optimism. But on policy matters, the documentary provides only a Surface-level glimpse. We learn she backs same-sex unions but not marriage, yet are given no explanation for this stance.

On other issues, the positions aren’t explored at all. This is a missed chance for Diaz to offer true insight into Robredo as a potential leader. With such high stakes in the election, viewers deserve to understand where the candidate will steer the nation if successful. Her experience as Vice President under Duterte’s volatile regime also warrants deeper analysis.

It’s hard not to wonder – what was Robredo really fighting for beyond ousting Marcos? Her talents clearly lie in motives and messaging, bringing hope and inspiration to crowds. But a leader needs substance beneath inspiration. By not digging further into her vision, the film leaves Robredo something of a blank slate defined more by rallies than policies.

This risks making her story more about resistance than progress. While courage in opposition is crucial, change also requires a mandate built on detailed plans and addressed issues. Peeling back another layer of Robredo’s layers could have strengthened both her narrative and the documentary.

Capturing A Movement’s Vibe

Man, some of those campaign rally scenes are really something else. You really get a sense of the energy when Robredo fires up those huge crowds. Thousands of people all dressed in bright pink stretching as far as the eye can see – it’s quite a sight.

The documentary does a great job putting you right in the middle of the action. Those aerial drone shots especially let you take it all in from above and appreciate just how massive these gatherings are. Then you’ve got Bruce Sakaki on the ground, really drawing you in up close with his candid camerawork. It’s raw and vibrant, perfectly suited to capturing the lively atmosphere.

You can feel the hope and optimism those supporters feel just being part of something bigger. The music, dancing, colors – it all comes together to craft an experience that really pulls you in. I could almost taste the spirit of change and community in the air. The documentary does an amazing job of putting you in the moment and evoking what that era felt like.

Still, part of me wanted a bit more insight too. A few more interviews unpacking why people connected so strongly to Robredo’s message may have added something deeper. And while its fantastic at depicting the movement’s vibe visually, spending more time on the issues at hand could have made the stakes even clearer.

Overall though, for really transporting you to the heart of the Pink Wave, I’d say the film succeeds beautifully. It’ll leave you with a strong sense of what that fight for democracy’s future felt like in the Philippines.

The Need to Keep Fighting

Man, after watching this movie I’ve got so many questions swirling in my head. It’s clear Diaz wanted to shed light on some really important events happening in the Philippines. Things that are gonna shape how that country’s democracy develops.

I appreciated getting to know figures like Leni Robredo and Maria Ressa. You can see why they’re willing to put it all on the line. Their commitment to truth and justice is inspiring, even if the film barely scratched the surface of who they are and what they stand for.

At the same time, it’s unsettling to see how disinformation and revisionist history have taken hold. The way they’re used to mislead people and undermine leaders fighting for positive change. I’m left wondering how such tactics can be counteracted on a wide scale. There were no easy answers provided.

Ultimately, this movie served as a powerful introduction. It got the basic story across and highlighted some real courageous individuals. But man, there’s clearly so many layers underneath still left to uncover. So many important details that need unpacking if people are really gonna understand what’s at stake.

I can see why Diaz was drawn to shine a light on this democratic struggle. Its impacts extend far beyond the Philippines. At the end of the day, the fight for truth depicted here is one we all have a stake in. We’ve got to keep pushing leaders like Leni Robredo to keep speaking out, and keep demanding answers from those spreading misinformation. The future of freedom is unwritten, so we can’t let up on this fight just yet.

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