Director Baby Ruth Villarama and her team embark on a variety of boats and ships to record the continuing conflict and its effects between the Philippine nation and the People's Republic of China over sovereignty of the recently named West Philippine Sea. This vast area, viewed by nearly everyone apart from China as part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, has seen a growing presence by Chinese vessels. These include fishing boats, most notably Chinese coast guard ships that have reportedly harassed, intentionally hit, and attempted to board Filipino boats in the context of the ongoing standoff.
Certain scenes are incredibly gripping, but frequently the conflict unfolds as a war of words of naval posturing. Officers from opposing vessels exchange heated radio transmissions, peppered with legal jargon, practicing a unique long-distance negotiation.
The documentary's name highlights the critical efforts by the Filipino military to resupply foodstuffs to remote islands in the West Philippine Sea where soldiers hold the line for long, solitary stretches. These "islands" are often just small accumulations of sand in shallow waters, no larger than a football pitch, approachable just with high-speed inflatable boats.
The voyages are undoubtedly scary for the young animals on board, which are loaded alongside tinned food and other necessities. The film shows the goats struggling for better balance as the craft race across the choppy waves.
In another segment communities around the more populated Scarborough Shoal, who lament over dwindling catches caused by the persistent presence of Chinese fishing boats in their ancestral fishing areas.
Critically speaking, the documentary suffers a bit from a at times meandering storytelling structure and a soundtrack that can feel somewhat melodramatic, overplaying the tense scenes. However, it is ultimately a fascinating exploration of a maritime conflict that gets scant attention outside its region.
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