THE FILM THE KINGMAKER
Calauit, an island of dying animals in the Philippines, existing in its current state as a result of
Imelda Marcos' unbridled opulence. She wanted creatures that were not native to the Philippines,
and officials were bribed to make it happen. It's the kind of landscape-altering act that people
with power and wealth do without thinking about the ramifications, and it's a great symbol for
her greedy, selfish, blinding greed. In her excellent "The Kingmaker," director Lauren
Greenfield, our best filmmaker when it comes to documenting the ultra-wealthy in films like
"Generation Wealth" and "The Queen of Versailles," returns to this island a few times,
recognizing how its almost haunted nature symbolizes the ghosts of the past of the ultra-wealthy.
When "The Kingmaker" first aired, I must admit that I was concerned. Was this intended to be a
rehabilitative effort for a divisive politician? Would the public image of a woman with rooms
full of shoes be shown to be a complex leader? The early glimpses of her pouring money at any
problem, even youngsters in a shabby cancer hospital, feel like an attempt to humanize Marcos,
but that swiftly flips. If documentaries like "The Kingmaker" make their subjects accessible, this
film focuses on an extraordinary amount of ego, corruption, bloodshed, and greed. Greenfield
doesn't watch Marcos continue to dig herself deeper into a hole as the movie progresses; instead,
she keeps handing her.
Imelda Marcos would have you believe that her money was earned and that it was beneficial to
the Philippines. She comments about how far Manila has fallen since she was in authority; she
gives money to the poor; and she regrets the better times for her country when her husband
Ferdinand was in control. Early on, Greenfield allows for some humanizing as we hear about
Marcos' mother's death at a young age and the emotional toll Ferdinand's infidelity had on her.
Even in these early scenes, though, one can almost sense the director beginning to see through
Marcos' image control. As she describes the corruption that led to the fall of the Marcos regime
the Marcos family is thought to have stolen as much as $1 billion
What emerges is a propagandist and revisionist history case study. Marcos would have you
believe that her husband was a brilliant leader who aided his country, that her son represents the
Philippines' future (legacy is important to her), and that she even ended the Cold War. Greenfield
begins to shift her camera away from Marcos and the individuals who have suffered as a result of
her and her husband Ferdinand Marcos' policies, with horrifying and affecting results. When
Greenfield gets to the horrific accounts of political rivals being raped, molested, tortured, and
killed, "The Kingmaker" becomes more like "The Act of Killing" than "Queen of Versailles,"
and the movie is at its best. Take note of how she carries herself.
"Perception is real, but truth isn't," Marcos explains. She is such a master of denial and image
manipulation that it appears as if she believes her own lies. The "truth" about corruption and
fraud may exist, but it isn't nearly as important as the image she portrays for her people. It is her
"perception" that defines her, and it is far more essential than anything that is true. The fact that
Marcos' attempts to alter history appear to be working in some ways is perhaps the most
troubling aspect of "The Kingmaker." And one may say that image control is to blame for the
country's current state under the Duterte administration. The Marcos legacy's narrative is far
from over, but "The Kingmaker" is a compelling read.
