On the Job: The Missing 8(HKAFF 2021)

Filipino genre master Erik Matti returns to the universe of his hit 2013 film On the Job with this sprawling expansion. Once a favored lackey of those in power, journalist Sisoy Salas begins a crusade to unearth the truth behind the disappearance of his colleagues. To stop Sisoy, the guilty party enlists the help of a programme which turns prisoners into assassins who help the elite take out their foes. But the hitman-prisoner assigned to kill Sisoy has plans of his own, his instincts threatening to up-end the status quo altogether. Matti exposes an ugly culture of corruption and privilege in his home country with this visceral and exciting thriller that’s his most ambitious work to date. Though created as part of a TV series, Matti designed his crime epic to be enjoyed on the big screen.