Lance Joseph Martinez

Lav Diaz’s Magellan Sets Sail For The Academy Awards As The Philippines’ Official Entry

Article (news)

<p><strong>Lav Diaz’s <em>Magellan</em> </strong>is set to sail toward international glory as it officially becomes the Philippines’ entry for <strong>Best International Feature Film</strong><strong></strong><em><strong></strong></em> at the <strong>98th Academy Awards.</strong></p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757385598322Metro.Style Lav Diaz Magellan.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from Film Academy of the Philippines</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>The announcement came from <strong>Film Academy of the Philippines</strong> (FAP) Director General <strong>Paolo Villaluna</strong> during the opening of FDCP’s <strong>Philippine Film Industry Month 2025.</strong></p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffilmacadph%2Fvideos%2F1428103135144252%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Alongside the reveal, the <strong>Film Development Council of the Philippines </strong>(FDCP) pledged P1 million through its Oscars Assistance Program to support Diaz and his team in their Oscar campaign.</p><p>The historical drama revisits <strong>Ferdinand Magellan</strong>’s 1517 marriage to <strong>Beatriz Barbosa</strong> in Seville, highlighting their short-lived union before his expedition under the Spanish crown. But noticeably absent from the narrative is <strong>Lapu-Lapu</strong>—often celebrated as the Philippines’ first hero.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffilmacadph%2Fvideos%2F1110525881292065%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><p>Addressing this choice during a press conference, Diaz clarified: “Not to say <em>wala si </em>Lapu-Lapu.<em> Pero ayon sa pananaliksik ko</em>, <em>parang mas dapat i</em>-reconsider <em>natin sa kasaysayan natin si </em>Humabon.”</p><p>According to The Kahimyang Project, <strong>Rajah Humabon</strong>—then ruler of Cebu (Sugbu) in the 16th century—was the key figure behind Magellan’s involvement in the Battle of Mactan, as the explorer sought to win his favor by helping him defeat his rival, Lapu-Lapu of Mactan.</p><p>The filmmaker revealed that <em>Magellan</em> is the result of seven years of research, drawing from historical records, oral traditions, and lesser-known accounts. “My responsibility is just to examine it, <em>ito nakita namin, pag-usapan natin ’to. Magellan</em>, I am throwing it for dialogue, for discourse,” he explained.</p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757390133088504101931_1117611870412173_8779492578871540246_n.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Photo from Film Development Council of the Philippines</span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">The film is scheduled to premiere in local cinemas on September 10, 2025, before launching its Oscars campaign.</p><p>Producer <strong>Paul Soriano </strong>encouraged Filipinos to rally behind the entry: “If there is one thing the Philippines can do to help us in the campaign is to go and support Magellan in cinemas.”</p><p>Magellan was chosen as the Philippines’ official entry to the Academy Awards after besting several contenders, including Baby Ruth Villarama’s <em>Food Delivery</em>, Zig Dulay’s <em>Green Bones</em>, Cathy Garcia-Sampana’s <em>Hello, Love, Again</em>, Petersen Vargas’ <em>Some Nights I Feel Like Walking</em>, King Palisoc’s <em>Song of the Fireflies</em>, and Antoinette Jadaone’s <em>Sunshine</em>. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffilmacadph%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02HXcof6FRQaWzoZXkVd1MeHyDR1q3rUCtiSTSuJHmiuBXub25Pgf5zhtiJ6W2NRxDl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="707" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">Lead photos from the <strong>Film Development Council of the Philippines</strong></p>

<p>Lav Diaz’s Magellan is set to sail toward international glory as it officially becomes the Philippines’ entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.</p>

Lav Diaz’s Magellan is set to sail toward international glory as it officially becomes the Philippines’ entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.

Lav Diaz’s Magellan Sets Sail for the Academy Awards as the Philippines’ Official Entry

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Lav Diaz’s Magellan Sets Sail for the Academy Awards as the Philippines’ Official Entry

Lance Joseph Martinez

Published Sep 09, 2025 01:30 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 09, 2025 10:28 PM PHT

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Lav Diaz

Magellan

Oscars

Best International Feature Film

Academy Awards

Paul Soriano

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