In Carl Joseph Papa’s animated documentary 58th, painful memories and a tragedy that haunts — no amount of time and prayers can erase and heal. Lamentably, the justice and closure needed by the family of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay continue to be elusive for his family, who, for 17 years, have been seeking justice for their father.

Story

The animated documentary 58th chronicled the real-life aftermath of the Maguindanao massacre that happened in 2009. This horrific and tragic incident is historically considered the world’s deadliest single-day attack against journalists.

Papa’s film centered on Reynafe “Nenen” Castillo, the daughter of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay. The narrative of the animated documentary followed Nenen’s exhaustive and relentless fight for justice and official recognition of her father as the massacre’s 58th victim. Her father’s remains have never been found, leaving his death as officially unacknowledged by the courts and erasing Momay from the initial historical records.

Some kind of wonderful

Papa’s film blended real-life archival footage, news broadcast clips, and Skype interviews. The director chose to utilize rotoscope animation to visually depict the gravity and intensity of the tragedy and the despair, loneliness and pain of Nenen and the rest of her kin as they try their best to handle and live with the truth and seek the justice that their patriarch deserved.

The rotoscoped animation decision of Papa proved to be an astute one because it artistically captured the extreme violence of the massacre in a muted kind of way. The blood and gore on screen did not elicit the squirm, and the audiences did not look away, but the emotional reality and weight of the crime and madness were more potent and hit the gut and the heart.

Another wonderful element of Papa’s gem of an animated documentary was how it turned out to be a brave, grounded, and sensitive film. The news footage, archival materials, script, and animation were so woven with obvious care, and seamlessly at that, that it resulted in a cinematic output that honored the dignity and humanity of the victims and, at the same time, made it crystal clear that the pursuit of justice must not and will never be just a thing of the past.

And giving Papa’s animated documentary all the right feels and heart-breaking sincerity were Glaiza de Castro (Nenen), the late, great Ricky Davao (Momoy) and Marco Masa (RJ, grandson).

Carlos Joseph Papa’s 58th not only chronicled but recorded one of the most devastating and tragic realities in contemporary history. It deserves to be celebrated as an unerasable piece of historical evidence that not only raises global awareness and support for the ongoing fight and movement for the legal recognition of the massacre’s final victim, but also gives heart, soul, and pathos to the story of Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay that we must all never forget, and the tragedy he became part of must never happen again.

58th is set to head to the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), happening on 6 to 15 October. The film will screen under the Documentary Showcase of BIFF’s Wide Angle section, alongside a lineup of bold and distinctive works.

Produced by GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures, with Public Affairs SAVP for Documentaries Johnson Tam, together with program manager Ian Simbulan, it was also submitted by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) for consideration in the Best Documentary Feature category at the 99th Oscar Awards.

It had an exclusive, limited screening at Shangri-La Plaza Red Carpet Cinemas. During its one-day run, a talkback session with GMA Public Affairs senior vice president and GMA Pictures executive vice president Nessa Valdellon, Public Affairs SAVP for Documentaries Johnson Tam, creative director Ian Simbulan, and film writer Aica Riz Ganhinhin happened.