DAVAO CITY, Philippines (May 21) — What began as a deeply personal and fearless exploration of power, policing, consequence, and humanity beneath the uniform is now steadily gaining recognition on the international stage.
BENEATH THE BADGE — the documentary project inspired by the life and journey of Police Brigadier General Hansel Marantan and directed by Davao-based journalist and filmmaker Editha Caduaya — has officially been selected to the Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival in Canada, marking its fifth international honor.
The latest recognition places the Philippine regional documentary alongside independent films from around the world and further strengthens Mindanao’s growing presence in global cinema.
Prior to its Toronto selection, BENEATH THE BADGE had already earned recognition from several international platforms, including:
Dhaka International Film Festival
Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival
Doc Only Film Festival as an official selection
and Director’s Cut Awards as a finalist.
For Caduaya, the growing international recognition is not merely a personal achievement, but a powerful affirmation that regional stories — especially documentary narratives grounded in truth, complexity, and social realities — deserve space on the world stage.
“This is not just about one documentary,” Caduaya said. “This is about proving that filmmakers from the regions, especially from Mindanao, can create stories that resonate globally without abandoning our identity, language, pain, and truth.”
Unlike traditional police documentaries that focus solely on operations or heroism, BENEATH THE BADGE attempts to confront the deeper emotional and moral cost carried by those who spend their lives standing closest to violence. The film explores themes of authority, memory, controversy, sacrifice, prison, public judgment, and redemption.
Its growing recognition abroad comes at a time when independent documentaries from the Philippines are increasingly gaining attention for their raw storytelling, political courage, and human-centered narratives.
Film observers note that the project’s success reflects a broader shift in regional filmmaking — where stories outside Metro Manila are beginning to break through international festival circuits through authenticity rather than commercial scale.
For many young filmmakers in Mindanao and the provinces, the recognition of BENEATH THE BADGE also serves as inspiration that meaningful cinema does not require massive studios, large budgets, or political connections to be seen globally.
“What matters most is honesty in storytelling,” Caduaya added. “Documentary filmmaking is important because it preserves memory, asks difficult questions, and gives voice to stories often buried beneath headlines and politics.”
The documentary is set to screen during the Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival from June 1 to 28, where international audiences will be able to watch and vote for participating films.
As Philippine regional cinema continues to evolve, BENEATH THE BADGE now stands not only as a documentary about one controversial figure — but also as a symbol of how regional filmmakers can bring local truths into global conversations.
