Once Upon a Time in the Philippines

Once Upon a Time in the Philippines is the debut feature from Filipino filmmaker E del Mundo, inspired by the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. The film centers on Sam, a 19-year-old gas station worker in an invented locale that references the country's south, who becomes entangled in killings by a political clan's private army. In the aftermath, she hunts for her boyfriend, now missing and possibly a participant in the slaughter, uncovering how multiple institutions perpetuate violence. The project is produced by Kyle Nieva and Gian Carlo Librojo of Screen Asia with Pamela Reyes, in co-production with France's Piano Sano Films and Norway's DUOfilm. Now in advanced financing after years of development, the project was selected for the 2026 Busan Asian Project Market, where the team is seeking to close remaining financing gaps and secure partnerships to move into production.