'The Kingmaker' is a cautionary tale of the Marcos family’s return to power

The documentary "The Kingmaker" presented disturbing versions of the truth about the Marcos family’s rise to power, with a focus on the  perspective of clan matriarch Imelda Marcos.

In one hundred minutes, the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and photographer Lauren Greenfield showed the legacy that the Marcos family left, and how history seemed to be repeating itself in the present.

The film started with Imelda who was inside a car handing out P20 bills to street children back in 2014. She then made a comment that the country had seen better times during the Marcos era.

In the latter part of the film, she claimed that Martial Law was one of the best years in the Philippines because Ferdinand Marcos gave the Filipinos "sovereignty, human rights, and freedom."

After every questionable statement she made, historical clips or interviews with those who thought otherwise were shown. Greenfield noted in an after-credits clip that Imelda was an "unreliable narrator."

The film featured interviews with martial law victims, an elder Calauit islander evicted from her home to make way for Imelda Marcos’ dreams of having an African safari park, close friends of Marcos, political rivals, and her son Bongbong Marcos.

"In an age when fake news impacts elections, Imelda’s comeback story is a cautionary tale," said Greenfield.

"The Kingmaker" also highlighted the amount of wealth the Marcos clan matriarch and her family amassed.

The present-day Imelda was usually seen amid a backdrop of expensive furniture and paintings, as Greenfield interviewed her.

"Being excessive is mothering. That is love. I don’t only want to mother the Philippines, but also the world… My projects had to be beautiful. It shows the extravagance of love," she said.

The matinee and premiere screening of "The Kingmaker" was held on Wednesday at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

Recently, the CCP held its 50th anniversary in honor of its founding chairman Imelda Marcos. The event sparked anger online among some netizens. —MGP, GMA News