A Thousand Cuts
A Thousand Cuts is a 2020 Philippine-American documentary film about Maria Ressa, the founder of the online news site Rappler. Directed by Ramona Diaz, it explores the conflicts between the press and the Filipino government under President Rodrigo Duterte. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. It was released in the United States in a limited release and virtual cinemas on August 7, 2020, by PBS Distribution, and was followed by a broadcast on the program "Frontline" on January 8, 2021. Synopsis. It follows the conflicts between the  press and the Philippine government under president Rodrigo Duterte. It primarily follows Maria Ressa, the founder of the online news site Rappler, which has been subject to scrutiny by Duterte and his supporters, and writers for the website including Pia Rañada, Patricia Evangelista and Rambo Talabong. It also follows Mocha Uson, Samira Gutoc, and Bato dela Rosa as they campaign for seats in the Philippine senate. Release. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. It was also set to screen at South by Southwest in March 2020, however, the festival was cancelled  due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PBS Distribution and "Frontline" acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, and briefly made the film available without charge for a limited time on YouTube for Philippine users on June 12 (Independence Day). It also screened at AFI Docs on June 19, 2020. The film was released in the United States through virtual cinema on August 7, 2020, followed by its "Frontline" broadcast on January 8, 2021. Reception. "A Thousand Cuts" received positive reviews from film critics. It holds approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews, with an average of . The  site's critical consensus reads, "A sobering documentary and a stark warning, A Thousand Cuts underscores the importance of the press at a pivotal moment in world history." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 81 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".