Lav Diaz is “concerned” about the situation in his native Philippines. But it doesn’t mean he will stop making films.
“If you do any kind of cultural work, you can be branded as a ‘communist’ and it’s a reason for them to kill you,” he says.
“There aren’t many venues to show my films, so we basically give them away for free. Listen, I am aware of the danger. But you have to accept the reality, confront these issues and continue to make things. And be careful, because we know what happened to Salman Rushdie.”
Diaz, speaking to Variety at Armenia’s Golden Apricot festival, where he headed the jury, also opened up about his upcoming Locarno world premiere “Essential Truths of the Lake.”
The film, which contends in main competition for the Golden Leopard, sees him returning to investigator Hermes Papauran from “When the Waves Are Gone,” played by John Lloyd Cruz – starring alongside Hazel Orencio, Shaina Magdayao, Bart Guingona and Agot Isidro – haunted by an unsolved case of a woman who disappeared years ago.
“Rape, molestation, this whole macho culture… It’s everywhere and I have seen it since I was a child, and yet it’s not being addressed. So many women don’t want to talk because these guys are powerful or well-known, but it’s time to name these names,” he adds.
“Papauran still hopes there is justice and truth in the world. As humans, we can be very desolate about what is happening, but we can also do something. I wanted to show that.”
Ready to play with the genre – “There are expectations that come with this kind of ‘cold case’ story, but there is still a lot to explore. You just need to avoid the cliches” – Diaz is not giving up either.
“We wake up and these are the things on our minds: ‘Is the war in Ukraine going to stop? Will things get better in Syria? How many more migrants will drown in the Mediterranean Sea?’ It’s around the corner: Suffering, danger. Putin. But you push yourself to finish your coffee, take a bath and meet your friends,” he notes.
“Indifference and denial manifest in everything, even elections, because people vote for a misogynist like Duterte. But are we going to accept that nothing is going to change, you as a writer and me as a filmmaker? No.”
“We have to convince others that life is worth fighting for. We also need to calm down, because rage can break us. Psychosis is a part of our being now. Putin is a psycho, Trump is a psycho, Duterte, Marcos. We need to be rational in order to overcome them,” he says.
While “Essential Truths of the Lake” clocks in at over 200 minutes, short for Diaz’s standards, he is not changing his ways.
“I will be presenting another 13-hour-long film soon. For me, cinema is very free,” he stresses, mentioning he’s juggling multiple projects at once.
“Things overlap, just like in life. One, ‘Henrico’s Farm,’ about Filipino domestic workers, we have been shooting and shooting. It’s like writing a novel and I have faith in this process now, but my actors ask: ‘When are we going to finish?!’ It’s good they keep reminding me,” he laughs, also recalling his “crazy” win in Venice with “The Woman Who Left.”
“I was sitting between Konchalovsky and Tom Ford at a press conference and some journalist asked which camera I was using. I went: ‘Sony a7S.’ These two, they wouldn’t even use it as a toy!”
Then again, joining the big leagues was never a plan.
“Bigger budgets? Come on. If you do that, your cinema is gone. Suddenly, they want two-hour running time, return on investment and to add a song from their friend. Good luck.”
Despite his outsider status, Diaz, a relaxed presence, doesn’t really see himself as an “auteur.”
“I would rather be punk rock. I want to be a part of the group, not live in some ivory tower,” he says.
“I grew up in the middle of a forest. My parents, instead of living comfortably, chose to stay with their tribes. Now, I thank them for doing that, even though we lost our village and are refugees in our own country. It manifests in my work, in all these wandering characters who seek refuge or home.”
Following in their footsteps, he tries to create communities in his films, collaborating with non-professional actors.
“My parents, who were teachers, sacrificed their lives for the indigenous people. When my father died, so many people came to thank him for their education. I hope my films can do that as well,” he says.
“There is dignity in my characters. There was this one guy everyone was laughing at in a village – next day, he was in ‘Essential Truths.’ They were shouting to me: ‘There are better-looking people here!’ But eventually, we made our peace.”
“You are not shooting on some set: It’s a specific community. We employ them, involve them and after a while they are a part of the film. Also, you need to be humble, because they might be actually better off, at least emotionally. For them, one cow is often enough, and you want a mansion and a Mercedes. Or, in my case, a very expensive guitar.”
“Essential Truths of the Lake” is produced by Epicmedia Productions, Rosa Filmes and Films Boutique, also handling sales. Tier Pictures, Volos Films Italia, Bord Cadre films and Sovereign Films co-produce.
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