Kami no ko tachi (2002)

Director:

Hiroshi Shinomiya

Genre:

Documentary

Also Known As:

God's Children (USA)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Filipino | Tagalog

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Luzon, Philippines

loaded and uncomfortable film that makes you re-evaluate life

This emotionally draining documentary is a piece that should be recognized internationally not only for its efforts in human rights activism, but also its documentary style. More filmmakers should follow these filmmakers' technique of presentation, which is unbiased and unrelenting in imagery. Void of traditional voiceovers, this documentary shot in the Phillipines is as raw as a documentary can get. Nothing is left out, nothing is taboo. God's Children exposes viewers to a whole other world of residents who live amongst mountains of trash, Manila's large garbage dumps. The poverty these people live in is so harsh that it is hard to sit through the entire 2 hours. Constant images are thrown in your face and viewers are bombarded with pure images that speak for themselves. There was not one word of opinion or commentary from the actual filmmakers. It really makes you re-evaluate your life. We are all exposed to terrible circumstances in media, but most mediums of art do not expose you to the full extent that these Japanese filmmakers do here. Although one might not want to sit through the film again, it is a film that is necessary to watch once.