The Ati, a Negrito ethnic group in Western Visayas, Philippines, have been steadfast in their fight to reclaim ancestral lands. In a rare opportunity, they take center stage in a film that intimately recounts their tales of struggle.
Despite contentions from historians, legend has it that in ancient times, an Ati chieftain traded their land to Bornean datus for a necklace and a wide-brimmed hat made of gold. The mountains were left to the Atis, while the plains and rivers went to the Malays. Today, even the mountains are under threat, sometimes violently taken from the Atis. Featuring an all-Ati non-professional acting ensemble, speaking in their own language, Inati, the film reveals the struggle of these indigenous people to reclaim their land. As one Ati once said, "Tell us where the end of the earth is, and we will go there to live in peace, untouched."