The documentary film Delikado is nominated for Outstanding Investigative Documentary at the prestigious Emmy Awards.
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The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences shared the list of nominees on Friday, July 28, 2023.
Other nominees for the mentioned category are Escape from Kabul, FIFA Uncovered, I Am Vanessa Guillen, and Flight/Risk.
FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS
Directed by journalist Karl Malakunas, the 96-minute environmental thriller film focuses on the plight of ecological activists and the challenges they face in protecting the rainforests of Palawan.
The movie follows the story of lawyer and Palawan NGO Network Inc. (PNNI) executive director Robert “Bobby” Chan, then-El Nido mayor Nieves Rosento, and land defender Efren “Tata” Balladares.
Together, the three, in a bid to preserve Palawan's natural resources, go head-to-head against politicians, illegal loggers, big developers, and politicians.
Palawan is dubbed the Philippines' "last ecological frontier" because of its rich natural resources and highly diverse wildlife, flora, and fauna on land and sea.
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Karl told the Golden Globe Awards about the genesis of the film's story in a May 2022 interview, “One of the most beautiful places in the country.
"But my contact for that story, an environmental campaigner, was shot in the head and killed just before I was due to go.
"I went anyway, to investigate his murder. When I was there, I discovered this seemingly idyllic island was being destroyed by the people in power who were meant to be protecting it.
"I also discovered a small group of people putting their lives on the line trying to stop the destruction."
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
Helping Karl put together the film were two-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker Marty Syjuco (producer), Give Up Tomorrow director Michael Collins (producer, editor, and writer), broadcast journalist and Storytellers International Inc. co-founder Kara Magsano-Alikpala (producer), and award-winning cinematographer Tom Bannigan ACS (director of photography).
Delikado made its debut in April 2022 at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto, Canada.
The Cinemalaya Film Festival hosted the film's Philippine premiere in August 2022.
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The Emmy nomination adds to the many accolades the film has received including Best Documentary #2 at the Sydney Film Festival; Special Jury Prize, Best Documentary Feature at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival; and Green Dog Award For Best Environmental Documentary at Watch Docs, Poland.
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The 44th News and Documentary Emmy Awards will take place on September 28, 2023, at the Palladium Times Square in New York City.