Filipino director Adolfo Alix’s film Madilim ang Gabi (Dark is the Night) had its world premiere Sunday at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Dark is the Night is about a middle-aged couple (Gina Alajar and Phillip Salvador) who quit their drug business after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte established a war on drugs. Their son (Felix Roco), a drug addict, goes missing as more and more people die from extrajudicial killings.
The film tackles issues that are especially relevant today with the number of teen deaths reported in the past month.
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The film’s international trailer released in August starts with a visual of a man getting shot and being dragged on the pavement and Duterte’s speech declaring the crackdown on drugs in the background.
It then proceeds to give a glimpse of the couple’s search for their child. The preview literally ends with a bang when a jeepney explodes and goes on fire.
Apart from Alajar, Salvador, and Roco, the film also stars Angel Aquino and Cherrie Gil. It will be shown at TIFF until Oct. 31.
