Fleeing the American invasion of the Philippines in the early 20th century, a mother and her son retreat into the jungle. One day, the son discovers a wounded woman and decides to bring her home. They have a child. Years pass. The family live in isolation from the growing chaos all over the country. But a coming storm soon threatens their existence, and American troops draw nearer.

Raya Martin is one of the most prolific and acclaimed young directors in South East Asia. INDEPENDENCIA creates a lush metaphor that plays with cinematic illusions and the cultural and mythical history of the Philippines. Ingeniously staged on studio sets to evoke the lost period of early and silent cinema, INDEPENDENCIA mixes melodrama with anti-colonial critique to recreate a pivotal moment in Filipino history, and incisively explores the intersection between national history and cinema history.