Supply Lines in the Sea: A Review of Food Delivery – An Intense Journey Along Resupply Routes amid the Regional Tension.
Filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama and her crew travel on a diverse assortment of maritime vessels to record the ongoing strife and its impacts between the Philippine nation and China over control of the newly designated West Philippine Sea. These waters, viewed by nearly everyone outside of China as within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, has seen escalating incursions by Chinese vessels. While some are fishing boats, the majority consist of Chinese coast guard ships that have engaged in harassing, intentionally hit, and tried to seize Filipino boats as part of the wider territorial conflict.
Certain scenes are incredibly gripping, though often the conflict manifests as a war of words of maritime bluster. Personnel on the different ships broadcast lengthy speeches over short-wave, filled with legal jargon, practicing a unique radio diplomacy.
Resupply at the Front Lines
The documentary's name references the ongoing mission by the Filipino military to resupply foodstuffs to isolated garrisons in the West Philippine Sea where soldiers hold the line for long, solitary stretches. These "islands" are often mere dollops of sand in shallow waters, comparable to a football pitch, accessible only by speeding rubber dinghies.
These trips prove evidently terrifying for the young animals on board, which are crammed in with tinned food and additional provisions. The film shows the goats struggling for a stable position as the boats hurtle across the choppy waves.
The Fishermen's Plight
The film also follows fishers living around the more populated Scarborough Shoal, who lament over decreasing fish hauls caused by the ongoing activity of trawlers from China in their customary waters.
Fascinating Topic, Flawed Presentation
Critically speaking, the documentary suffers a bit from a at times meandering pacing and a soundtrack that can feel somewhat melodramatic, overemphasizing the dramatic moments. Nevertheless, it remains a important look of a geopolitical issue that gets scant attention beyond Asia.
