Death in the Land of Encantos (Tagalog: Kagadanan sa banwaan ning mga engkanto) is a Filipino experimental film co-produced, edited, written and directed by Lav Diaz. At 540 minutes (9 hours), it is among the longest films ever made. Awarded the NETPAC Prize, Best Asian Feature at the Jogja Asian Film Festival, the Jeonju FIPRESCI Prize, and Orizzonti Prize (Special Mention) at Venice Film Festival.
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Synopsis
After spending years in Russia, Benjamin, a Filipino poet returns to Bicol, his hometown after it has been devastated by super typhoon. He is horrified to discover that the entire village has been buried under the landslide. He wanders through the countryside, meeting old friends and former lovers while burying his dead.
Reception
Writing for Cinema Scope Magazine, Robert Koehler praised the film, stating "It’s a cinema viewing experience without parallel, exactly recreating what happens if one were to stand in a large landscape and wait for a person to arrive from the extreme distance."