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The Kingmaker

  • 101 mins
  • Dir: Lauren Greenfield
  • Cert: 15

Centered on the indomitable character of Imelda Marcos, The Kingmaker examines, with intimate access, the Marcos family’s improbable return to power in the Philippines. The film explores the disturbing legacy of the Marcos regime and chronicles Imelda’s present-day push to help her son, Bongbong, win the vice-presidency. To this end, Imelda confidently rewrites her family’s history of corruption, replacing it with a narrative of a matriarch’s extravagant love for her country. In an age when fake news manipulates elections, Imelda’s comeback story serves as a dark fairy tale.

★★★★★

‘Superb documentary’

The Guardian

★★★★★

‘Vivid portrait of the ultimate post-truth icon’

Evening Standard

★★★★

‘It’s dark material, expertly handled’

The Times

★★★★

‘A surreal, revelatory look at the brutality and vulgarity of Imelda Marcos’

The Telegraph

★★★★

‘As horror stories go, it’s sometimes funny. As comedies go, it’s pretty horrifying.’

Financial Times