Lav Diaz holds the Golden Lion award for his movie ” Ang Babaeng Humayo ” on Sept. 10. (M. Angeles Salvador/ANSA via AP)
Lav Diaz’s new film, “Ang Babaeng Humayo” (Woman Who Left) won the prestigious Golden Lion award in the Main Competition of the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 10.
The film, with running time of almost four hours, tells the story of a schoolteacher’s thirst for revenge and her feelings of forgiveness after 30 years in jail for a crime she did not commit.
Diaz said the film was a testimony to the struggles of the Philippines after centuries of colonial rule. “This is for my country, for the Filipino people, for our struggle, for the struggle of humanity. Thank you, thank you so much,” the 57-year-old director said as he accepted the award.