Highlighting what policemen have to sacrifice to fulfill their roles effectively is what the documentary ‘Sa Likod ng Tsapa’ aims to do. Winning international recognitions after releasing the film is already a bonus.
Filmmaker and former journalist Editha Z. Caduaya, the documentary’s director, was surprised upon learning that their humble film was recognized by not just one but two international award-giving bodies. “Ang tanong ko sa sarili ko ay: ‘Totoo ba ito?”, she shared to the members of the press during the launch of the music video of the documentary’s theme song.
‘Sa Likod ng Tsapa: The Story of Col. Hansel Marantan’ won Outstanding Excellence Award at the Documentaries Without Borders Film Festival which was announced last March 15, 2026. Documentaries Without Borders is a web-based citation body that recognizes films tackling mainly social justice and rights, culture and heritage subjects, and films that talk about health journeys and human interest topics.
It was in the same festival where ‘Stand Up, SPEAK Out!’, the popular documentary on reproductive rights from the United States won Best in Festival in 2024. “Medyo prestigious siya na award-giving body. Napaluha ako when nalaman namin ‘yung magandang balita,” Caduaya added.
The police documentary also received a Special Mention at the Dhaka International Film Festival early this year, the second global citation for the said film. And Caduaya is divulging that there could be more.
For Col. Marantan, who eventually had to portray himself in the film, sees the piece as a legacy project of the duty that he served for almost all his life. He is set to retire in three months and producing the documentary is one of his gifts to the entire police force.
Joining Marantan in the film are other police officers Stefanio Rabino, Christopher Saladero and now MMDA Chief Nicolas Torre III.
To celebrate further the success of the documentary, the music video of its theme song, similarly entitled ‘Sa Likod ng Tsapa’ was launched at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna last April 11th.