Veteran actress Pinky Amador has publicly expressed her strong disapproval of the film Quezon, the newest biopic by director Jerrold Tarog starring Jericho Rosales as former President Manuel L. Quezon, accusing the filmmakers of “weaponizing history” for commercial gain.
In a fiery Instagram post titled “MLQ Tinokhang sa Pelikula: History Weaponized,” Amador—herself a descendant of the late president—said she found the film’s portrayal of Quezon “irresponsible” and “sensationalized.”
“My theory is that because this is the third installment of their so-called Bayaniverse, naturally, they wanted to go out with a bang. Make an even bigger, bolder statement, get more traction which equals to sales,” she wrote. “How to do that? Sensationalism. Shock value. Alternative treatment.”
While Amador praised the film’s technical achievements—its cinematography, pacing, and performances—she lamented how it distorted historical truths under the guise of satire and fiction.
“When you get DepEd to endorse this as an ‘educational’ film, the perception is that it will be (at the very least) slightly historical. When you add layers of ‘fiction’ and ‘satire,’ then purposefully blur those lines with your creative treatment, then you are weaponizing history according to your narrative for sales,” she said.
“I also get that this treatment can encourage deeper conversation and debate. But for whom? Only the learned and intellectuals?”
Amador argued that in a country where 24 million Filipinos struggle with functional literacy and 91% of 10-year-olds cannot read simple texts, such films could become the only version of history that people believe.
“So when DepEd-endorsed films become the only education for millions, showing only one side isn’t just poor storytelling — it’s miseducation,” she warned.
The actress also stressed that her disappointment comes from a deeply personal place, noting that her grandmother, Maria Zeneida “Nini” Angara Quezon Avanceña, the late president’s daughter, was a lifelong human rights advocate who fought against tyranny during the Marcos dictatorship.
“If she were still with us, would the producers have the gall to show this to her? It would certainly have sent her to her death. I wonder—would they be prepared to have blood on their hands of a life-long human rights advocate?” she wrote.
Amador’s post followed the viral confrontation between her uncle, Ricky Quezon Avanceña, and the Quezon production team during a post-screening forum in Makati, where he accused the filmmakers of “sinalaula” and “binaboy” the image of their ancestor.
Echoing her uncle’s frustration, Amador said she and her family never asked to control the narrative or to have Quezon portrayed as a saint—only that his integrity and sacrifices for the nation be represented fairly.
“We never asked to be consulted nor asked for him to be portrayed a hero. But to at least mention even some of the good and sacrifices he and his family gave for the country isn’t a lot when you think of all his accomplishments. Konting balance and fairness lang,” she stated.
Amador further warned of the dangers of artistic manipulation masquerading as creative freedom: “Artistic freedom does not excuse you from artistic accountability,” she declared. “Freedom of expression does not equate to freedom from responsibility.”
Comparing Quezon to the earlier Bayaniverse films—’Heneral Luna’ and ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’—Amador said those entries provided more nuance and emotional depth to their heroes’ stories, while Quezon painted its subject as “a cunning, manipulative politician” without context.
“Sana lang hindi niyo rin maranasan na ang ninuno niyo o sinumang nagbigay ng inspirasyon sa inyo ay siraan, or worse, kayo na mismo (pag matagal nang patay) ay gawan ng ganitong demolition job in the name of artistry,” she said.
“I surmise that the creatives of this film are just as cunning, Machiavellian, and manipulative as the anti-hero they produced,” she added.
Produced by TBA Studios, ‘Quezon’ is the third and final installment in the studio’s Bayaniverse trilogy, following ‘Heneral Luna’ (2015) and ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’ (2018). The film opened in Philippine cinemas on October 15, 2025, and has since sparked heated debates over creative liberty, historical accuracy, and the ethics of storytelling.
