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
Round Midnight: Ardeshir Plays Dexter Gordon
Loosely based on Bud Powell's time in Paris, Round Midnight (131 mins) is maybe the greatest of all films about jazz thanks to the towering performance of real-life jazz great Dexter Gordon. Saxophonist Ardeshir channels Gordon's vibe in his live set.
Montreal, ma belle
In this Valentine to discovering love later in life, the ever-elegant Joan Chen plays Feng Xia, a 53-year-old Chinese immigrant and mother in Montreal whose world is turned upside down when she meets and falls in love with a young Quebecoise.
Sirât
A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and Special Jury Prize Winner, Sundance, 2025, this exposé shot by a Russian primary teacher shows how the Putin propaganda machine works to militarize children.