CPH:DOX 2020 - We Hold the Line
Dreamer Joint Venture FilmproductionMarc Wiese's political documentary We Hold the Line brings the frightening attack on the free press from Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte to the forefront in for, mostly, a strong documentary.
The first forty minutes or so of the first and second act chronicling the rise of Rodrigo Duterte's path to the Filipino presidency is a riveting and profound storyline. The sheer arrogance and nightmarish sadistic process of Duterte's rise to power is one that both captivates and disturbs, gaining viewers’ complete and utter attention to what is unfolding.
That being said, Wiese's film loses momentum when it turns the narrative into devoting every second of its proceeding running time on journalist Maria Ressa, founder of Rappler. Granted, We Hold the Line follows the fallout of Duterte's disturbing attacks on media but the feature begins to focus on Ressa herself, with little to no returns.
Yes, the ex-CNN journalist's voyage against this haunting attack is compelling material, but the documentary never delves deep into understanding the subject herself. Interestingly, it doesn't deep dive into the accused criminality of the journalist that is swept under the rug as a political attack nothing else.
We Hold the Line loses all momentum it builds up by gaining the interest of its audience in what is the most terrifying forty minutes the viewer will see all year, only to sidestep this arc and venture down a more thematically monotone storyline on a lifeless corporation.
