
On the President’s Orders
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In 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte announced a “war on drugs” in the Philippines, launching a wave of violence and murder targeting thousands of suspected drug dealers and users. With unprecedented, intimate access both to police officials implicated in the killings and the families destroyed as the result of Duterte’s deadly campaign, On the President’s Orders is a shocking and revelatory investigation into the extrajudicial murders that continue to this day. Entering a murky world of crime, drugs and politics, the filmmakers have managed to capture the clear trajectory of what depths those who wield excessive power can reach, when attacking those who have the very least.
Crew
Festivals Participated / Recognitions
Nominated for an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Current Affairs documentary
Winner of the Royal Television Society Award For Photography in Documentary / Factual & Non Drama
“Every bit of the photography is beautifully and brilliantly constructed. The framing and lighting was extraordinary giving a cinematic effect that completely drew the viewer into a haunting, sinister and menacing world. It is a bold, brave and masterful use of the lens.”
Finalist in the Rory Peck Sony Impact Award
“Alerting the world to Duterte’s human rights abuses, this is a visually amazing documentary, shot with tension and urgency, that plunges the viewer into the very heart of Manila’s murderous war against drugs.”
Shortlisted for a Grierson Award for Best Current Affairs Documentary
Long-listed for best feature documentary at One World Media Awards
Winner of Best Documentary Cinematography at the Canadian Cinematography Awards
Winner of Best Documentary Cinematography at the European Cinematography Awards
Winner of Best Documentary Cinematography at the New York Cinematography Awards
Winner of the Special Prize at Human Doc Film Festival
Winner of the Best UK feature at the Raindance Film Festival
Nominated for the F:ACT Award at the CPH-DOX International Film Festival