Supply Lines in the Sea: A Review of Food Delivery – A Compelling Expedition Through Supply Lines in the China Standoff.
Filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama and her crew board a range of maritime vessels to document the continuing conflict and its effects between the Philippines and China over sovereignty of the recently named West Philippine Sea. This vast area, viewed by most nations apart from China as within the Philippines' EEZ, has seen a growing presence by Chinese vessels. Among them are fishing boats, the majority consist of Chinese coast guard ships that have reportedly harassed, intentionally hit, and tried to seize Filipino boats as part of the wider territorial conflict.
Portions of the film are undeniably tense, yet mostly the conflict manifests as a diplomatic dance of seaborne intimidation. Personnel on the different ships exchange heated declarations, peppered with diplomatic language, engaging in a kind of long-distance negotiation.
Resupply at the Front Lines
The film's title highlights the critical efforts by the Filipino military to resupply foodstuffs to tiny outposts in the West Philippine Sea where soldiers hold the line for extended, lonely tours. These specks of land are often little more than patches of sand in the shallows, comparable to a sports field, reachable solely via fast-moving motorized rafts.
The voyages are evidently terrifying for the young animals on board, which are loaded alongside tinned food and other necessities. The film shows the creatures seeking for a stable position as the boats hurtle across the choppy waves.
Impact on Livelihoods
Elsewhere in the documentary local fishermen around the more populated Scarborough Shoal, who voice complaints over dwindling catches due to the sheer number of Chinese fishing boats in their traditional fishing grounds.
A Compelling Subject, Imperfect Execution
Critically speaking, the documentary suffers a bit from a at times meandering narrative approach and a musical score that can feel a bit heavy-handed, overplaying the dramatic moments. Yet, it remains a important look of a geopolitical issue that is rarely covered outside its region.
