West Philippine Sea documentary 'Food Delivery' wins award at New Zealand film festival
Philstar Global
05 July 2025
A documentary exploring the West Philippine Sea dispute between the Philippines and China has been recognized at New Zealand's Doc Edge Festival.
Production company Voyage Studios announced that their film, Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea, won the Tides of Change Award at the country's international documentary film festival.
"This is for every Filipino defending the West Philippine Sea. In the face of silence and fear, we carry the truth, and now the world hears us," the studio stated.
"The journey has just begun. May more people see our fight," they added.
The Tides of Change category recognizes films that have stories that "flow through oceans, rivers, and pools—not as scenery, but as lifeblood—shaping identity, struggle, and transformation in currents both tender and turbulent."
Since Doc Edge is an Academy Awards-qualifying festival, the film will receive consideration for an Oscar in 2025.
'It belongs to the Filipino people'
Director Baby Ruth Villarama articulates the significance of the West Philippine Sea, emphasizing its deep connection to the Filipino people.
"Winning the Tides of Change Award means a lot, not just for our team but for the Filipino communities who live these stories every day," she told PhilSTAR L!fe. "The film’s core message is simple: there is no need to dispute what is already true. The West Philippine Sea exists. It belongs to the Filipino people. It is part of our daily life. It’s where our people provide for us, dream, and survive. It’s not just a political line. It’s personal."
While making the film, Villarama learned that "truth doesn’t need to shout."
"When you stay with the human stories, when you honor lived experiences, the truth speaks for itself," she said.
"We don’t have to add fire to fire. We just have to tell the story as it is with sincerity. Sometimes that’s more powerful than any political narrative because it disarms without hostility. It invites conversation instead of division. And maybe that’s the quiet power of Filipino storytelling: we are not here to conquer or tear anyone down. We are here to remember who we truly are, and what we’re capable of when we choose to stand together," she continued.
Attempts to suppress the film
Food Delivery centers on the "rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Filipino fishermen, Coast Guard, and Navy personnel risk everything to defend their waters and way of life."
It puts audiences into the shoes of Arnel Satam, a fisherman who is being pursued by the China Coast Guard near Scarborough Shoal.
"With rare access to frontline officers, it captures their quiet heroism, personal sacrifice, and unwavering duty. At its heart is a remarkable alliance: fishermen and Coast Guard risking their lives together to deliver food and aid. Visually stunning and deeply moving, this is a story of resilience, unity, and the fight for freedom," Doc Edge described on its website.
They dubbed the documentary a "banned film that must be seen."
This likely stems from its controversial withdrawal from Puregold's CinePanalo Film Festival in Quezon City, where it was originally set to premiere last March but was pulled due to "external factors."
In a joint statement, festival director Chris Cahilig and Villarama said, "While the decision was made jointly by the festival organizers and film creators, it is clear that external factors played a role in this outcome. We appreciate the continued support from those who believe in the film’s importance and will announce alternative screenings soon."
Apart from this, the Chinese Consulate has also requested that Doc Edge refrain from showing Food Delivery in all future screenings if they want to act in the "interest of [the] public and China-New Zealand relations," according to a report from 1News.
"The documentary... is rife with disinformation and false propaganda, serving as a political tool for [the] Philippines to pursue illegitimate claims in the South China Sea. Its screening would severely mislead the public and send the wrong message internationally," the email from the Chinese Consulate read.
"This documentary disregarded history and facts, and is designed to amplify the Philippines' wrong position on the issue concerning the South China Sea and deliberately distort and hype up the maritime situation," it added.
However, Doc Edge general manager Rachael Penman said that they have refused the request and asserted that Food Delivery was "really important to be seen" as it "brings up a conversation with so many people."
The news outlet reached out to the Philippine Embassy on the matter, but they only said that they are "aware" of the situation.
Meanwhile, Villarama told L!fe that they did not make the film to fight propaganda.
"Food Delivery does not aim to malign a country we have long looked up to as family. It does not spread misinformation. It simply tells the truth through the stories of real people who live and struggle at sea. There’s no need to silence a story like this because there’s no attack here, only honesty," she said, inviting the Chinese government to see the film.
"Perhaps when they see the human faces behind these stories, they might realize there is room for understanding. The sea is vast. There’s enough space for all of us, if only we choose to see each other," she said.
The award-winning director hopes that the audience "remembers that what’s at stake isn’t just territory," but the very existence and well-being of people who depend on their right to fish, sail, and secure food.
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