Austin Film Festival 2026
By Laurie Coker | True View Reviews | Austin Film Festival 2026
I went into Sisa knowing little about the Philippine-American War and came away appalled by what I learned. American soldiers burning villages, destroying crops, and forcing civilians from their homes? This was certainly not the American history I remember from school. Jun Robles Lana’s film takes place during this troubling period, and while the story itself is fictional, the brutality behind it is not.
Set in the Philippines in 1902, the story centers on Sisa (Hilda Koronel), a woman believed to have lost her sanity after her family members’ deaths. She arrives at a settlement occupied by American soldiers, where several Filipino women offer her shelter and protection. Wandering in an apparently confused state, Sisa draws little concern from the soldiers. Why would they worry about a woman who barely seems capable of caring for herself? Of course, there’s considerably more to Sisa than appearances suggest.
Koronel is phenomenal. She has the difficult task of portraying a woman who must convince nearly everyone around her that she’s mentally unstable while concealing her involvement in the Filipino resistance. Her facial expressions, movements, and occasional vacant stares are remarkably convincing. Much of what makes her performance work comes from what she doesn’t say. The women around her are equally impressive, as are the men in supporting roles. There isn’t a weak performance among them.
Sisa is never hurried, and that seems entirely appropriate. Sisa herself is patient, carefully watching and waiting as events unfold around her. Lana takes a similar approach to telling her story. Scenes are allowed to play out, conversations aren’t rushed, and the gradual revelation of Sisa’s intentions makes the slower pace worthwhile. This film doesn’t rely on constant action to hold interest.
The bleak landscape is almost a character in its own right. Little vegetation, dusty surroundings, and the settlement’s miserable conditions create an atmosphere of isolation and despair. Even the simplest aspects of daily life feel exhausting. The setting doesn’t merely provide a backdrop; it becomes part of the villagers’ ordeal.
What disturbed me most, however, was learning about the scorched-earth policies American forces carried out. During the Philippine-American War, American forces burned villages, destroyed crops, and forcibly relocated civilians as part of military campaigns against Filipino resistance fighters. The film’s central story may be fictional, but these atrocities are well documented. The inhumanity is staggering, and the fact that this history receives so little attention makes it even more troubling.
At times, the film’s deliberate pace demands patience from the audience, but that patience is rewarded. Koronel never loses her grip on the character, and the supporting cast gives the story a believable sense of community despite the terrible circumstances.
Sisa is a thoughtfully told historical drama, beautifully performed and unsettling in its depiction of American occupation. Koronel’s performance alone makes it worth watching, but the historical setting leaves the strongest impression. It’s difficult to leave a film like this without wanting to learn more about what actually happened in the Philippines and perhaps questioning why so little of it was taught in the first place.