Philippine director puts women at the 'heart' of drug war film

Filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who directed the new documentary "Maria" on women left behind by former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war, talking during an interview with AFP in Manila. Widows and mothers are at the "heart" of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war. - AFP

MANILA (AFP): Widows and mothers are at the "heart" of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war.

More than 6,000 people were killed in police anti-drug raids during Duterte's six-year term, which ended in June 2022, government data shows.