Award-winning actress Judy Ann Santos is set to return to the big screen in “Aid,” an upcoming political drama directed by acclaimed filmmaker Brillante Mendoza that will bring together Filipino and European talent in an internationally backed production.

The film will feature Santos alongside French actresses Jeanne Balibarand Stacy Martin, with production support coming from companies based in the Philippines, France, and the Netherlands.

In the film, Santos portrays Rudy Dela Cruz, the head of a non-governmental organization focused on protecting Aeta children. As the story unfolds, her character becomes entangled in the complicated realities surrounding international humanitarian systems and the politics behind global aid efforts.

Martin will portray Angelique Dumont, a European humanitarian executive whose presence becomes deeply connected to the story’s unfolding conflict. Further details about Balibar’s role have yet to be revealed.

“Aid” marks another collaboration between Santos and Mendoza following their critically acclaimed 2019 film Mindanao. Their previous project earned Santos multiple acting honors, including recognition at the Cairo International Film Festival and the Metro Manila Film Festival, where both she and Mendoza received major awards.

Mendoza shared that the new film will be shot in an Aeta village in Pampanga, with production scheduled to begin in October. The director also opened up about the deeper social questions that inspired the project.

“I wanted to understand why, despite all the aid, so little truly changes,” Mendoza explained. “I realized that even good intentions can be swallowed by systems larger than the people trying to help. That unsettling truth is why I made ‘Aid.’”

With its mix of political themes, humanitarian issues, and international collaboration, “Aid” is shaping up to be one of Santos’ most ambitious projects yet, further expanding her presence on the global cinema stage.