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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider Documentary on West Philippine Sea withdrawn from CinePanalo film festival due to 'external factors'

Documentary on West Philippine Sea withdrawn from CinePanalo film festival due to 'external factors'

Published Mar 12, 2025 11:52 am

At A Glance

  • Baby Ruth is best known for her documentary Sunday Beauty Queen which won Best Picture at the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival.
Photo 2_Baby Ruth Villarama.jpg
Baby Ruth Villarama

A documentary on the West Philippine Sea was withdrawn two days before the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival started.

Chris Cahilig, the festival director of the CinePanalo Film Festival, and Baby Ruth Villarama, a documentary filmmaker, issued a joint statement announcing that the movie has been removed from the festival lineup.​ ​The complete statement released on March 12: 

​"We regret to confirm that ​'Food Delivery, Fresh from the West Philippine Sea​' has been pulled out from the CinePanalo Festival. While the decision was made jointly by the festival organizers and film creators, it is clear that external factors played a role in this outcome.

​"We appreciate the continued support from those who believe in the film’s importance and will announce alternative screenings soon," the statement read.

Photo 1.jpg

“Food Delivery, Fresh from the West Philippine Sea” is one of the much-anticipated movies at the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, which will run at the Gateway Cineplex 18 in Cubao, Quezon City, from March 14 to 25.

According to Baby Ruth, the film, which harkens to the current maritime conflict between the Philippines and China, is ultimately a story about empathy. 

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“We want the audience to understand that sovereignty is not just a political issue; it’s a deeply personal one for every Filipino,” she says. “From the fishermen risking their lives to feed their families, to the Coast Guard and Navy personnel delivering food to the soldiers on remote outposts, Food Delivery illustrates the shared sacrifice and the collective love we all have to protect our way of life.”

Baby Ruth is best known for her documentary Sunday Beauty Queen which won Best Picture at the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. Outside of Sunday Beauty Queen, she has been involved for over a decade in international co-productions as a producer and documentary director for local and international news organizations. Many of the documentaries co-produced by Baby  Ruth take a socially conscious angle and have been featured in international festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and others.

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