Filipino movie gatecrasher searches for salvation

CEBU, Philippines - Indie film director Jim Libiran was looking for personal salvation when he gatecrashed Philippine cinema with a movie tackling Manila's violent gangland culture. Three years later the former journalist is among a handful of emerging Filipino directors leading a renaissance of the local movie industry, yet his motives for tackling gritty social issues remain the same.

“I would like to say there is a deeper philosophy why I am doing this,” the animated and passionate 42-year-old told AFP in an interview.

“But really there are only two reasons — one is I wanted to find relevance — my own place under the sun — and two, trying to get a message out to my son.”

Libiran has not seen his young son in two years after a bitter separation from his former wife.

“My movies will serve as the vehicles to impart lessons to my son, to help him understand what is happening around him,” he said.