58th
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| 58th | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Carl Joseph Papa |
| Written by | Aica Riz Ganhinhin Carl Joseph Papa |
| Produced by | Nessa Valdellon |
| Starring | Glaiza de Castro Ricky Davao |
| Cinematography | Jethro Aaron Jamon |
| Edited by | Benjamin Tolentino |
| Music by | Arvy Dimaculangan |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | GMA Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes[1] |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
58th is a 2026 Philippine adult animated biographical drama film directed by Carl Joseph Papa, from a screenplay co-written with Aica Riz Ganhinhin. Filmed entirely as a docudrama, the film revolves the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, one of the deadliest massacres to ever occur in the Philippines; the eponymous last victim, whose body was never found over the years, is the primary narrative thread of the massacre, which follows the effect on one of the victims' children.
The film was premiered on January 31, 2026 at the Rotterdam Film Festival.
Premise
[edit]The film will tell the story of the family of Bebot Momay, who was considered the 58th victim of the crime, although his body was never found.[2]
Cast
[edit]_-_IFFR_2026.jpg)
- Glaiza de Castro as Maria Reynafe Castillo, a daughter of the missing photojournalist.[4]
- Ricky Davao as Reynaldo "Bebot" Momay, a photojournalist who oversaw the horrors of Maguindanao massacre and is currently the 58th victim.[4]
Mikoy Morales, Biboy Ramirez, Marco Masa and Zyren Dela Cruz were cast in undisclosed roles.
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]After the completion of Carl Joseph Papa's third film Iti Mapukpukaw, Papa co-writes and directs a documentary about the massacre in 2009, collaborating with GMA Public Affairs once again. Aica Riz Ganhinhin, a frequent collaborator of Papa, serves as a co-writer in the film.[5]
Casting and filming
[edit]Glaiza de Castro offered the lead role as the daughter of Reynaldo Momay, alongside Ricky Davao, Mikoy Morales, Biboy Ramirez, Marco Masa, and Zyren Dela Cruz are announced to be part of the cast line-up.[5]
The film recorded in live-action, mostly through screencast, which only took around a week.[6] After filming was completed, Davao died on May 1, 2025, making 58th his final film role.[7]
Animation
[edit]The animation processed rotoscoping techniques, similar to Papa's previous films, with over a hundred animators during post-production.[6] Real-life archive footages from the aftermath were mostly used in the film.[8]
Release
[edit]58th was premiered on January 31, 2026 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as a part of Harbour program, making GMA Pictures' first feature film ever to be selected.[9][10]
See also
[edit]- On The Job: The Missing 8, a 2021 film sequel partly inspired by the massacre and disappearance.
References
[edit]- ^ "58th - IFFR EN". Rotterdam Film Festival. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ "Maguindanao massacre verdict: Zaldy Ampatuan, Andal Jr. found guilty of murder". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "GMA Public Affairs, GMA Pictures release teaser for '58th,' a film about the Maguindanao massacre". GMA News Online. November 23, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "GMA Public Affairs drops poster of '58th,' a film about the Maguindanao massacre". GMA News Online. November 23, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ a b Evangelista, Jessica Ann (November 24, 2024). "Glaiza de Castro leads '58th,' film on Maguindanao massacre". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Carl Joseph Papa rotoscopes an invisible grief in Rotterdam animated docudrama '58th'". RAPPLER. January 31, 2026. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- ^ "Ricky Davao dies at 63". Rappler. May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
- ^ "GMA Public Affairs and GMA Pictures Present "58th," a Powerful Film of Remembrance and Justice". GMA News Online. November 23, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ Villanueva, Angelica (December 19, 2025). "Carl Joseph Papa's '58th' to premiere at 2026 Rotterdam International Film Festival". Manila Standard. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
- ^ Mallorca, Hannah (December 17, 2025). "'58th,' docudrama about Maguindanao massacre, to premiere at Rotterdam filmfest". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved December 31, 2025.