Women of the Weeping River | Movie

Women of the Weeping River (2016) Directed by Sheron Dayoc Starring Laila Ulao, Mariam Zimadar Caranay-Raper, Taha Daranda, Sharifa Pearlsia Ali-Dans

Two women in a remote Muslim community confront an escalating blood feud and reach deep into themselves in hopes to undo the feud stretching back generations.



Women of the Weeping River is a 2016 drama film directed by Sheron Dayoc. Set in Jolo, Sulu, with an ensemble cast of non-actors from the Western Mindanao region.



In war, there are no winners. Everybody loses. And an eye for an eye, as the saying goes, leaves everyone blind. These can be seen as mere platitudes, particularly for most of us who live far from war-torn areas, but for most residents of Jolo, Sulu, these words too often ring true.

Director Sheron Dayoc’s Women of the Weeping River examines how the long-standing war in Mindanao, and the blood feuds that are surprisingly pervasive throughout rural areas in the Philippines. Shot completely using the Tausug dialect (hence the need for subtitles), the cast is made up of non-actors, giving an air of authenticity that might not otherwise be evident if professional thespians were used.

The movie tells the story of Satra (Laila Ulao), a young widow whose family is caught in a blood feud or “rido” that threatens to ruin any chance of peace for her loved ones. Her father-in-law Mustafa (Taha Daranda) is headstrong and refuses to let any perceived slight against his clan slip. Not even the intervention of peacemaker Farida (Sharifa PearlsiaAli-Dans) can temper Mustafa’s anger, and it spills over to Satra, his sons, and those close to their family. When the rido affects the generation following Satra, the pain is magnified even further, as the women are faced with the impossible task of making peace among themselves.