The Search for Weng Weng

The Search for Weng Weng is a 2013 documentary film about Filipino actor Weng Weng (1957–1992), directed by Andrew Leavold. The film follows Leavold's quest to discover the story of the largely forgotten actor, whose real name was Ernesto de la Cruz. His starring roles were in locally produced action comedies films that found worldwide distribution in the early 1980s. Weng Weng is the shortest leading man in cinema history, standing at 83 cm. Leavold, who is Australian, decided to travel to the Philippines with a backpack and a camera and assemble every piece of information he could on the actor. Leavold interviewed many who sometimes both worked with and knew the actor. This includes Eddie Nicart, Bobby A. Suarez, Marrie Lee, Dolphy, Imelda Marcos, Tikoy Aguiluz, among many others. Leavold eventually discovered his remaining relatives, who described the actor's childhood and last years.
In 2007 a rough cut of the film was screened and caught the attention of producers who bought the project. It became the basis of Mark Hartley's "Machete Maidens Unleashed!" (2010), a documentary about cult films made in the Philippines, where Leavold worked as an associate producer and was credited for his original idea. Since it only mentioned Weng Weng briefly, it left Leavold unsatisfied who negotiated with the other producers so that he could finish his film. Leavold launched a successful Kickstarter campaign, and with a team he finished his film.
In 2013 the film premiered in the Philippines and played worldwide in the film festivals circuits the following year, being part of the official selection of the Cinemanila International film festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, and Udine Far East Film Festival, also Leavold won the Melbourne Monster Fest. The film had a limited theatrical run in North America. It was well reviewed and considered to be insightful as it uncovers the life of Weng Weng while also providing a look at an obscure facet of Filipino culture.
Production.
"The Search for Weng Weng" started as a passion project for in 2000 by director Andrew Leavold who at the time was the owner of Trash Video a cult film video club in Brisbane, Australia. Leavold would often recommend Weng Weng's "The Impossible Kid" (1982) as one of his weirdest films. Leavold decided to travel to the Philippines with a camera to make a documentary about the actor. His first trip went nowhere as he found Filipinos reluctant to speak of B movies made during Marcos regime.
By 2007, Leavold assembled enough footage to show a rough cut and gained the attention of local producers, who bought it and credited Leavold for his original idea as the basis for Mark Hartley's "Machete Maidens Unleashed!" (2010), a documentary about cult films made in the Philippines. Leavold was hired on as an associate producer. The film was well received, but since it only mentioned Weng Weng briefly, it left Leavold unsatisfied.
Since Leavold, couldn't tackle the subject of Weng Weng anymore he went on to work on other projects based in the Philippines, on erotic films that the Marcos family funded during their reign. Leavold managed to interview the matriarch of the family former first lady Imelda Marcos. Eventually he asked her about her recollection of Weng Weng, who she described as an extraordinary person who overcame his disabilities. With the new footage he gathered, Leavold negotiated with the other producers "Machete Maidens Unleashed!" so that he could finish "The Search for Weng Weng". Leavold launched a successful Kickstarter campaign, and with a team he finished the documentary.
Release.
Since its original rough cut screening in 2007, "The Search for Weng Weng" premiered on the 29 November 2013 at the University of the Philippines Cine Adarna, UP Film Center. For that point on the film played in festivals worldwide.
In Canada the film premiered on 29 July 2014 at the Montreal Fantasia International Film Festival, and in the US on 8 November at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. From its release date in both countries the film played theatrically.
Reception.
Dennis Harvey of Variety said it was "A surprisingly far-reaching investigation into the life of a forgotten icon of Pinoy exploitation cinema".
Martin Unsworth of Starburst magazine, concluded his review by writing ""The Search for Weng Weng" not only executes its task admirably, it exceeds by becoming a compelling, thought provoking, and ultimately touching look at the cultural traditions of a country not widely recognised for its cinema. Told with great humour, but never degrading nor mocking".
Amanda Waltz of The Film Stage gave the film a B minus and said: "Wild man or not, Leavold accomplishes what he set out to do, an admirable feat considering the few resources at his disposal. More importantly, he succeeds in spurring a dialogue on Weng Weng’s role as a representation of the Filipino spirit, which, in the grand scheme of things, is more than any film scholar could possibly hope for."
Upon its screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam it was posted as: "The documentary focuses not only on the - at times hilarious - mythical and mysterious proportions the stories about Weng Weng take on during Leavold’s seven-year quest, but also on the tragedy hiding behind the short life of the small superstar. At the same time, the film zooms out and investigates the Weng Weng phenomenon in the broader context of a more layered Filipino film culture: the ‘Golden Age’ of the Filipino film industry and the first edition of the Manila International Film Festival."
Meg Adonis of Philippine Daily Inquirer noted and recommended "The Search for Weng Weng" as a good companion piece to Lauren Greenfield's "The Kingmaker", and James Jones co-directing with Olivier Sarbil's "On the President’s Orders." Both about are about the politics of the Philippines, the first about former first lady Imelda Marcos's politics while the other one about the current President Rodrigo Duterte. Hence, Adonis links "The Search for Weng Weng" with mostly Greenfield's film, because both feature Marcos, and while one offers a clear look at her politics the other a look on her relationship with the entertainment industry.
Companion book.
Leavold published a companion book also named "The Search for Weng Weng" in 2017.