Lieutenant Hermes Papauran, one of the best investigators of the Philippines, is in a deep moral cross road. As a member of the police forces, he is a first-hand witness of the murderous anti-drug campaign that his institution is implementing with dedication. The atrocities are corroding Hermes physically and spiritually, causing him a severe skin disease resulting from anxiety and guilt. As he tries to heal, a dark past haunts him and has eventually come back for a reckoning. Director Lav Diaz shot the film on a 16mm film footage, giving the story a stark black and white palette as well as disturbing poetic beauty.

The film was released out of the competition at 79th Venice IFF 2022.