Four-hour Philippine revenge drama wins top prize at Venice Film Festival
Director Lav Diaz says The Woman Who Left reflects the struggles of the Philippines after centuries of colonial rule
A nearly four-hour long movie about a woman’s thirst for revenge and her feelings of forgiveness after 30 years in jail for a crime she did not commit won the Venice Film Festival’s top prize on Saturday.
Director Lav Diaz has described Ang Babaeng Humayo (which means The Woman Who Left) as a testimony to the struggles of the Philippines after centuries of colonial rule.
“This is for my country, for the Filipino people, for our struggle, for the struggle of humanity,” the 57-year-old said as he accepted the Golden Lion award for his black-and-white movie.
Diaz, who at the Berlin Film Festival in February had premiered a film that ran over eight hours, said he hoped the latest recognition would create more appreciation for longer movies.
This is for my country, for the Filipino people, for our struggle, for the struggle of humanity
“Cinema is still very young, you can still push it,” he said.