The Movie Academy of the Philippines has chosen Lav Diaz’s Magellan because the nation’s official submission for Greatest Worldwide Function Movie on the Academy Awards.
Magellan was chosen from a pool of seven native contenders.
The choice was introduced on the opening of the Philippine Movie Trade Month celebrations organized by the Movie Growth Council of the Philippines.
The Movie Academy mentioned that the standards for choice included “aesthetic and technical excellence, embodiment of Filipino worth and tradition, worldwide attraction, and the potential of the producer to mount an in depth marketing campaign for Academy shortlisting (December 2025) and nomination (February 2026).”
Magellan was shot within the Philippines, Portugal and Spain, and premiered on the 78th Cannes Movie Pageant.
Directed by legendary Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz, the movie stars Mexican actor Gael García Bernal, Arjay Babon, Ronnie Lazaro, Bong Cabrera and Hazel Orencio.
Magellan tells the story of sixteenth century Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, alongside the Filipinos captured by slave merchants in Malacca, who will ultimately find yourself in Magellan’s service.
The Movie Academy of the Philippines added that the movie “gives an uncompromising perspective on historical past, chronicling the ultimate months of the explorer’s life earlier than his demise within the island of Mactan. The titular determine shouldn’t be portrayed as a hero, quite, Diaz presents him as a person ‘dealing with his personal oblivion,’ difficult the acquainted narrative to disclose uncomfortable historic realities.”
Magellan was produced by Paul Soriano and Mark Victor, and line produced by Bianca Trinidad.
The movie has been acquired for distribution by Luxbox Movies for world gross sales and by Janus Movies in North America.
Magellan will display screen on the upcoming Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant and New York Movie Pageant this month.
The movie can even mark its homecoming in The Philippines with a theatrical launch on September 10.
“The Movie Academy of the Philippines is immensely excited to announce Lav Diaz’s Magellan as our official entry for the Greatest Worldwide Function Movie class on the 98th Academy Awards,” mentioned Filipino movie director Paolo Villaluna, who can also be the Director-Common of the Movie Academy. “Magellan is a robust, poetic movie and we prolong our heartfelt congratulations to Director Lav, Producer Paul Soriano, and your entire solid and crew.
“We acknowledge that Magellan’s Oscars journey is just simply starting, and we stand able to assist the movie. The Movie Academy will work intently with them to navigate the intricacies of the Oscars marketing campaign, and can present authorities help when wanted to make sure their imaginative and prescient is shared with the world,” added Villaluna.
