Manila crime

His films like 'Kinatay' and 'From What Is Left Behind' unflinchingly document Manila's underworld, street violence, and the lives of marginalized criminals with documentary-like realism.

His epic crime narratives such as 'Death in the Land of Encantos' and 'Melancholia' explore Manila's drug trade, poverty, and criminal networks through long-form, immersive storytelling.