Released in 2016, Birdshot is a critically-acclaimed Philippine thriller, directed by Mikhail Red. Birdshot is generally considered to be a coming-of-age film and follows a father called Diego Mariano, played by Ku Aquino, and his daughter Maya, played by Mary Joy Apostol.
The film begins by introducing Diego and Maya, who are father and daughter. Maya's mother unfortunately died from childbirth, and so the two are dependent on one another. As Maya is growing older, Diego wants to teach his daughter how to defend herself, especially as she wants to explore the area by herself and go beyond their isolated piece of land.
Diego teaches his daughter how to use a gun, and she doesn't take to it well at first. She decides to walk into a nearby forest with her father's gun and kills an eagle. As Phillippine eagles are a highly endangered species, killing one is a crime. As such, Maya is hunted down by the authorities. A recruit called Domingo is sent to investigate a case of missing farmers in the area but is side-tracked by the unlawful killing of the endangered bird. As the penalty for this crime is incredibly high, the director creates a very intense atmosphere, exploring themes of corruption, crime, and violence.
