A Thousand Cuts

Play trailer

A Thousand Cuts

Released Aug 7, 2020

1h 50m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Journalist Maria Ressa risks her life and freedom as an outspoken critic of Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

A sobering documentary and a stark warning, A Thousand Cuts underscores the importance of the press at a pivotal moment in world history.

Read Critics Reviews

Claudia Puig

FilmWeek (LAist)

If you care about freedom of the press and democracy, it's a film you have to see.

Aug 18, 2020

Full Review

Peter Rainer

FilmWeek (LAist)

It's a fascinating movie on many, many levels.

Aug 18, 2020

Full Review

Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

Diaz stays out of the way of her own lens, instead giving a portrait in context of Ressa's valiant struggle for truth, and her determination to simply do the job even as she becomes part of the story.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 13, 2020

Full Review

Elizabeth Garcia

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

A Thousand Cuts is an excellent documentary with a message that reaches further than the Philippines.

Rated: 8.5/10

Jan 21, 2023

Full Review

Tom O'Brien

Next Best Picture

Diaz was granted remarkable access behind the scenes of Ressa's fight for democracy, creating an insider's look which allows us to see past the journalist's formidable game face to reveal her moments of vulnerability, with which anyone can empathize.

Rated: 8/10

Jun 14, 2022

Full Review

Betsy Bozdech

AWFJ.org

The documentary takes place almost entirely in the Philippines, but the situations and conflicts that Diaz captures in A Thousand Cuts will likely feel eerily familiar to viewers in other countries whose democracies are being threatened...

Nov 2, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Zane U

A harrowing recollection of the tense atmosphere around the journalists that make up one of the most dangerous developed jobs in the world

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/11/22

Full Review

dave d

A Thousand Cuts is a Filipino-American documentary film about Maria Ressa, the founder of the online news site Rappler. It delves into the conflicts between the press and the Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte. At times it's a bit chilling, but Ressa plays it so cool you don't feel as though she has any fear which is the emotion Duterte wants her to feel most. It does seem as though there are quite a few similarities with Duterte and the last United States president. It covers a lot of the same ground over and over, but it does shed some light on a failing democracy. Final Score: 8/10

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This speaks the truth.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is totally bull! Do your research and not rely on trad media. Visit the Phils. and ask random ordinary citizens. Pure fiction movie trying to pass as documentary.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Self serving lies. No credibility.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A fascinating story about the Philippine government's war on journalism. Indeed a cautionary tale for America. It's our attack on the "fake news media outlets" taken to the violent extreme. I'd highly recommend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Ramona S. Diaz

Director

Maria Ressa

Self

Ramona S. Diaz

Writer

Ramona S. Diaz

Producer

Chris Clements

Producer

Christopher Clements

Producer

Homeroom

85%

%

Homeroom

Watchlist

All These Sons

89%

%

All These Sons

Watchlist

Boys State

95%

91%

Boys State

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Boys State

Time

98%

51%

Time

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Time

The Kingmaker

97%

90%

The Kingmaker

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Kingmaker

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Awards Leaderboard: Top Movies of 2020

2021 Producers Guild Awards Nominations: The Full List

View more photos

Synopsis

Journalist Maria Ressa risks her life and freedom as an outspoken critic of Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

Director: Ramona S. Diaz
Producer: Ramona S. Diaz, Chris Clements, Christopher Clements, Julie Goldman, Carolyn Hepburn, Leah Marino
Screenwriter: Ramona S. Diaz
Distributor: PBS Distribution
Production Co: Cinediaz, TBD Post, Concordia Studio
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 7, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 7, 2020
Runtime: 1h 50m

Most Popular at Home Now