For my second treat at this year’s Malaysian International Film Festival 2026, a film called “Republic of Pipolipinas” had caught my eyes. Directed and written by Renei Dimla, this film follows Cora, played by Geraldine Villamil, a farmer whose land is in a threat to be evicted by the government to be used for a project, is fighting to defend her biggest asset and also home, by building her own micronation, called Pipolipinas. This film uses the classic mockumentary style, which is a great way to deliver this story to life.
As I stumbled upon this film in the lineup of MIFFEST, I chose this specifically because of the highly interesting premise. This is a type of film that you can smell the humor and absurdity from afar and will pull you in to get into their rollercoaster of a journey. The mockumentary style was perfecr for this type of film which was to capture and get all kinds of moments, chaos, and shambles in ways that would feel real and more personal. Besides, the location of this land of farm is phenomenal. It makes you feel that you are a member of Pipolipinas yourself, like this is just your land as much as this is Cora’s.
On the flip side, however, as the story progresses and the stakes getting higher, tension rises, and secrets revealed, I don’t think this film had a very powerful landing. It did line just fine. The characters didn’t have enough depth to end the film in a higher note. In the end, as much as I still enjoyed my time watching it, I think this is a film that has such a promising premise that didn’t quite manage to reach its full potential.
