16th century. Magellan (Gael García Bernal), a young and ambitious Portuguese navigator, rebels against the power of the King, who doesn’t support his dream of discovering the world. He persuades the Spanish Crown to fund his bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East. The voyage is exhausting beyond expectations, with hunger and mutiny pushing the crew to their limits. Upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan’s mind changes. He becomes obsessed with conquest and conversion, which sparks violent uprisings beyond his control.
This is not the myth of Magellan, but the truth of his journey. Realizing a long-standing dream of depicting the fabled explorer’s saga on screen, Lav Diaz delivers a condemnation of colonialism from a distinctly Filipino perspective.
Oscar Submission: Philippines
Lav Diaz
Gael García Bernal, Ângela Azevedo, Amado Arjay Babon, Ronnie Lazaro, Hazel Orencio, Tomás Alves
Portugal/Spain/France/
Philippines/Taiwan
2025
In Portuguese, Spanish, Cebuano and French with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Credits
Executive Producer
Montse Triola, Marina Alberti
Producer
Joaquim Sapinho, Marta Alves, Albert Serra, Montse Triola, Paul Soriano, Mark Viktor, Jose Alayón, Stefano Centini
Screenwriter
Lav Diaz
Cinematography
Artur Tort, Lav Diaz
Editor
Artur Tort, Lav Diaz
Production Design
Lav Diaz
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Secret in Their Eyes
This month's Talking Pictures screening is a multi-layered, poignant thriller interweaving the personal lives of a prosecution investigator (Ricardo Darin) and a judge, with a manhunt spanning twenty-five years. Stay for cookies, coffee and a chat after!
American Doctor
One of the most powerful documentaries of the year, this puts us smack in the open wound that is Gaza, filtered through the eyes of three American surgeons (of Palestinian, Jewish and Zoroastrian backgrounds) compelled to do their utmost to alleviate harm.
