A Filipino animated docu-drama that depicts events before and after the 2009 Maguindanao massacre and features the late actor Ricky Davao in his final film role will make its world premiere at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Producers of the animated docu-drama on the Maguindanao massacre announced that the film will screen in 2026 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, which programmers selected as the venue for its world premiere.
The filmmakers said that the animated docu-drama will portray key incidents leading up to the 2009 Maguindanao massacre and will also cover the aftermath of the killings through dramatized and documentary-style sequences.
The producers explained that the project uses animation, voice performances, and documentary elements to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the Maguindanao massacre, which claimed the lives of 58 people in November 2009.
Festival representatives at Rotterdam said that they included the animated docu-drama in the 2026 program as part of a slate that highlights films addressing political violence, human rights, and contemporary history.
The production team confirmed that they scheduled additional festival submissions and screenings after the Rotterdam world premiere and that they will announce the full release timeline closer to 2026.
The filmmakers disclosed that they developed the animated docu-drama over several years and that they coordinated with survivors, families of victims, and legal records to inform the narrative about the Maguindanao massacre.
The producers stated that they plan to release more information about the film’s official title, full cast list, and exact screening dates at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as the 2026 edition approaches.
