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.
- Director: Lauren Greenfield
- Country: Denmark | USA
- Genre: Documentary
- Year: 2019
- Run Time: 01:41:00
- imdb Score: 6.9/10 (135 votes)
- Language: English
- Rating: R
- Cast: Imelda Marcos
Peter Debruge - VARIETY
"An enraging portrait of entitlement, opulence and corruption, THE KINGMAKER starts as a profile of Imelda Marcos but soon widens its perspective to depict a Philippines in peril. "
Tim Grierson - SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
"Though Greenfield is too skilled to overplay her intentions, the picture that emerges gains additional power from its clarifying distance. THE KINGMAKER is required viewing for anyone concerned about the direction of their own democracy."
Elizabeth Weitzman - THEWRAP
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards 2019
Best Documentary
Warsaw Int'l Film Festival 2019
Best Documentary
Venice Film Festival 2019
Toronto Int'l Film Festival 2019
Stockholm Int'l Film Festival 2019
Int'l Documentary Festival Amsterdam 2019
Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2019
Telluride Film Festival 2019
Camden Int'l Film Festival 2019
Bergen Int'l Film Festival 2019
Mill Valley Film Festival 2019
London Film Festival 2019
Warsaw Film Festival 2019
Hamptons Int'l Film Festival 2019
Chicago Int'l Film Festival 2019
And more...