MAGELLAN

LAV DIAZ | PORTUGAL, SPAIN, FRANCE, PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN | 2025 | 160 MIN | PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, TAGALOG, FRENCH

Famous for uberlong runtimes in black and white that confront the social and political issues of the Philippines, Lav Diaz has amassed quite an international cult fandom. For the past 25 years, curious cinephiles have devoured his meticulously framed and deliberately paced compositions with glee. In his latest and arguably most accessible epic, Diaz confronts the monumental and lasting impact that the journey of Ferdinand Magellan — and colonization at large — has had on the country Diaz calls home. Played by an excellent and understated Gael García Bernal, Magellan’s shrewd and selfish exploits are framed as anything but heroic. Whether it’s his scheme to solicit support from rival Spain or a fraught, three-year journey within the confines of the ship’s claustrophobic, disease-ridden cabin, Diaz paints vivid scenes debunking the history and myths that surround the famed explorer. Each long, still take captures the colors and details that truly come alive through cinematographer Artur Tort’s meticulous, painterly eye. With Magellan, Lav Diaz presents the sins of one man, but in doing so offers up a damning indictment of colonization and the lasting effects on the oppressed.

Cast: Gael García Bernal, Ângela Azevedo, Amado Arjay Babon, Ronnie Lazaro

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