Watching a lav diaz film can be an arduous but very rewarding cinematic experience. The images from his films tend to bleed out of the frame, entering our deepest thoughts and awakening our sense of nationalism. It is his persistence of shooting in long takes that creates this impression of realism, and his most recent film Siglo ng Pagluluwal (his most personal film) once again captures this magnificent effect of cinema towards its audience. The film focuses on three interweaving stories about a cult, a filmmaker, and the filmmaker’s film. Philosophical topics have been discussed during the course of the film; what is being? What is cinema? What is love? The film gave insight into Lav’s inner struggle into finding the truth, or looking to present the truth to the viewers. His style in shooting regardless of the unexpected distractions (ex. Someone coughs on the set, a civilian at the background looking directly at the camera, etc.) adds a sense of even greater realism; that the story/ topic is greater than the film language itself, devouring its flaws and making it a part of the bigger picture.