CGTN film on Philippines' drug war scoops festival gold

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By CGTN's Ryan Chua

‍A CGTN documentary on the Philippines' war on drugs has won a top prize at the 50th US International Film and Video Festival.

Barnaby Lo's "Operation: Drug War," which aired on the weekly program "Assignment Asia", won a Gold Camera award in the festival's documentary category.

A family have an emotional encounter in a Philippine prison. /CGTN Screenshot

It's the second international award for the film, which earlier earned a finalist certificate at the New York Festivals International Television and Film Awards.

Since 1967, the US International Film and Video Festival has recognized outstanding productions from all over the world.

Thousands of deaths have been linked to the war on drugs that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte launched when he took office a year ago.

Many were killed by unidentified assailants while others died in police operations after allegedly resisting arrest.

Logo of the US International Film and Video Festival.

"Operation: Drug War" aired in September 2016 as the brutal anti-drug campaign entered its second month.

Lo spoke with the families of those who died in the violence, a self-confessed vigilante, and supporters and critics of Duterte's hardline policy.

The documentary also shows the squalid conditions in overcrowded jails where drug users and dealers who surrender to authorities end up.

Duterte's drug war has sparked international concern and drawn criticism from human rights advocates.

Yet Duterte, who continues to enjoy wide public support, has vowed to continue the war on drugs until the end of his term in 2022.

Prisoners in the Philippines are often held in squalid conditions. /CGTN Screenshot

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