A Land Only a Mother Could Love: Ramona S. Diaz's 'Motherland'

There are a lot of things people not from the “motherland” will not understand.

Our culture is very niche. There are so many things that we as a people have accepted as normal and need no explanation to fellow Filipinos. Flip flops, tricycles, our innate closeness and attachment to one another, the urge to give while we have nothing ourselves. Thrown into our world without any context, foreigners are confused and still somewhat fascinated.

Official Trailer from Dogwoof 's YT Channel

The Philippines is quite small and poor, yet it still remains one of the most populous countries in the world. Why? The answer is quite simple and consists of only two reasons: extremely devotional Catholicism and lack of proper sex education.

I’ve always longed for media that properly represented the Philippines and Filipinos alike in a careful and detailed way, without having to depict our struggles and the pains of our people’s lives.

But the truth is that there is no proper way to present the Philippines without depicting every part of the lives we lead. It is hard. It is rough. Sometimes it seems hopeless.

Yet, the most unique part of Filipinos is how we stay together and smile though it. It’s shown in the fathers talking to each other about their problems in the maternity ward without even knowing each other’s names. It’s shown in mothers giving other mothers food and diapers and blankets. It’s shown in the honesty and concern of the nurses and social workers alike. It’s shown in laughter in the face of abject poverty.

Interview with filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz from Zurich Film Festival's YT Channel

Our culture is not free from strife. We are inevitably tied to it as a result of the place we are born. We trudge on, clutching to whatever we have and looking forward to better times.

My favorite part about this documentary is how intimate it feels. I don’t find a lot of documentaries interesting because it seems intrusive or as if an stranger was looking in. But I love this documentary because you really do get to know the women and men in the maternity ward. Maybe I’m a bit biased because I’m Filipino myself and understand the familial and social structures more, but it still doesn’t detract from the fact that this film is so amazingly beautiful in all its warmth.

Heart-wrenching when you least expect it, hopeful when you need it most. Left me a wreck, but you can probably link that to my over-sentimentality or emotional instability.

Motherland POV from PBS' YT Channel

One of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. Period.

Highly recommend to anyone looking to learn more about the daily lives of Filipinos and the Philippines.

Would issue a warning however for anyone queasy, as there are some scenes including blood and birth.

Also, side-note, I call the Philippines my “motherland” as a joke but now that I’ve found out there’s a documentary on the Philippines titled “Motherland”… Maybe it’s no longer a joke…

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