Cover A film still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
A film still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
1 / 1
Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ is the Philippines’ Oscar entry. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of watching it, from Gael García Bernal’s role to its global journey
Lav Diaz has never shied away from complex narratives. With Magellan, his boldest project yet, the acclaimed filmmaker revisits one of history’s most contested chapters—not to glorify conquest, but to interrogate it.
The sweeping historical epic had its Philippine premiere on September 6, 2025 at Central Square in Bonifacio Global City, before setting its sights on the Academy Awards. The event brought together television and online personalities, respected film critics, producers, directors and members of the cultural community in a celebration of cinematic artistry and national pride.
Here’s everything you need to know about the film that’s making waves both at home and abroad.
More from Tatler: Much-anticipated Filipino production of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’—is it worth the hype?
It’s seven years in the making
Spending over seven years researching Magellan, Diaz drew on historical records, oral traditions and lesser-known accounts from the Philippines, Spain and Portugal.
Diaz also explained that the depth of his research allowed him to uncover details often overlooked by other historians. His aim is simple: to bring audiences closer to a more nuanced truth. “Magellan is for dialogue, for discourse,” he says.
Above A film still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
A film still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
1 / 1
The focus isn’t on conquest
Although the film follows Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the last months of his life, Diaz shifts the perspective to the Malay peoples of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The narrative becomes less about empire and more about those whose histories were reshaped by it.
“Ang paraang ito’y upang maging mas malinaw kahit papaano ang pagkukuwento nang ayon sa mas totoong kaganapan. Mas malapit sa katotohanan at tamang impormasyon [This approach is meant to make the storytelling clearer and closer to what truly happened, reflecting a more accurate account and truthful information],” Diaz says.
Gael García Bernal plays Magellan
The BAFTA-nominated Mexican actor, known for The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), Babel (2006), Coco (2017) and Old (2021), takes on the titular role. His portrayal captures not a triumphant conqueror but a man confronting his own mortality.
Above A film still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
A film still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
1 / 1
It’s the Philippines’ official Oscars entry
Earlier this month, the Film Academy of the Philippines named Magellan the country’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Selected from a competitive field that included Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine and
Petersen Vargas’s Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, the Academy praised Magellan for its “uncompromising perspective on history,” describing its protagonist not as a hero, but as “a man facing his own oblivion.”
No Filipino film has yet been nominated in the category, raising the stakes even higher.
It’s shorter and more colourful than past Diaz films
Known for his monochromatic, marathon-length works, Diaz departs from his distinctive filmmaking style with a runtime of 160 minutes and vivid, painterly visuals. While still deeply philosophical, the film is more accessible to new audiences.
See also: Lav Diaz asks: can cinema truly portray the Filipino narrative?
Above A photo still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
A photo still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
1 / 1
Lapu-Lapu is absent—deliberately
Diaz leaves out Lapu-Lapu, often hailed as the Philippines’ first hero, based on his research. Instead, he emphasises the role of Humabon, opening space for renewed debate about historical narratives.
“Pag mahaba kasi pananaliksik mo, you see things na maaring hindi nakita ng ibang historians. Basa ako ng basa, pananaliksik ng todo, parang nakita ko walang Lapu-Lapu. Parang mas malapit sa katotohanan na si Humabon ang gumawa ng lahat [When your research runs deep, you begin to see things that other historians may have missed. I read constantly and dug into every source I could find, and it seemed to me that there was no Lapu-Lapu. What felt closer to the truth was that Humabon was behind it all],” he says.
It premiered at Cannes and is travelling the world
Magellan made its global debut at the Cannes Film Festival before screening in Sydney, Toronto and New York. Its Philippine premiere took place on September 6 at Central Square in Bonifacio Global City.
Did you know? It earned a 5-minute standing ovation at the Cannes.
Above A photo still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
A photo still from Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ (2025) (Photo: courtesy of Lunchbox PH)
1 / 1
Janus Films is leading its Oscar campaign
The North American distributor has a strong record of shepherding international films to the Oscars, including The Great Beauty (2013), Drive My Car (2021) and Flow (2024). Its involvement positions Magellan for serious awards attention.
It launched in Philippine cinemas on September
Distributed locally by Lunchbox PH, the theatrical release includes over 40 cinemas nationwide, accompanied by curated events and special screenings to connect audiences with the film.
It could make Philippine cinema history
If Magellan secures even a shortlist spot, it will mark the first time a Filipino film has broken through in the Oscars’ international feature category. With Diaz’s global reputation and strong distribution strategy, hopes are running high.
NOW READ
Inside look: Proscenium Theater and the cast of ‘The Bodyguard The Musical’
Tatler Ball Asia 2025: what to expect when a Mountain Queen meets the Ice Man
5 TV shows that made our childhood: ‘Sine’skwela’, ‘Batibot’ and more
Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
