“Give us land, not bullets!” This is the scream folk-punk musician Ria lets out onstage. The slum faces eviction in five days. Hired thugs set fire to homes and no fire truck comes. Water and electricity are cut off one after another. The punks here endure extreme poverty and state violence every day. Yet they help each other and form a community built to survive. At its center stands their leader Olga. Ria was abandoned before she turned one. Olga took her in and raised her. Now Ria cares for Olga as her body crumbles from diabetes. Arvin Belarmino is the most anticipated rising filmmaker in the Philippines today. His provocative debut feature Ria reveals his affection and devotion for punk. Punk has become the last line of resistance against an absurd system while we stand by. Thus a vision of punk, by punk, for punk becomes reality.
Programme note by PARK Sungho
Stills5
Screenings4
Sat, 10/10
19:0021:00
Busan Cinema Center Cinema 2
276Guest Q&AKE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Mon, 10/12
19:2021:20
CGV Centum City 4
499Guest Q&AKE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Tue, 10/13
10:0011:35
CGV Centum City 1
574KE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Wed, 10/14
19:4021:15
Busan Community Media Center Open Hall
730KE, Korean subtitles + English subtitles or English dialogue
Film details
Director
Arvin BELARMINO
Original title
RIA
Country/Region
Philippines, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Japan
Arvin Belarmino is a Filipino filmmaker. He is an alumnus of several international programs for emerging filmmakers, including La Résidence of the Cannes Film Festival. His short film Radikals (2024) competed in Cannes Critics’ Week, while another short, Silig (2024), was screened at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight as part of Directors’ Factory Philippines. The short drama film Agapito (2025), which he co-directed with Kyla Danelle Romero, was selected for the Cannes Short Film Competition and the Toronto International Film Festival.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
