Oscars Journey Begins

Lav Diaz's Historical Epic "Magellan" has been officially named as the country's submission to the 2026 Oscars, where it will vie for a spot in the International Feature category.

- Nathalie Tomada

The announcement was made by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) during the launch of the Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) on Monday at the Shangri-La Plaza.

The nearly three-hour film, which premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival, offers a portrait of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the final months of his life, leading up to his death on the island of Mactan in 1521.

Starring the award-winning Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal in the title role, the film was partly shot in the country, particularly in Sampaloc, Quezon, as well as in Spain and Portugal.

At the PFIM opening event, Diaz, who was joined by local producer Black Cap Productions under Paul Soriano, spoke about the long and difficult journey of making "Magellan."

"Ang haba ng nilakbay ng 'Magellan,' from 1521 to now... Ang haba na rin ng pagdurusa ng ating bayan. Ang hirap ipaliwanag paano natapos ito, ang hirap gawin ng 'Magellan,' napakahirap, muntik pa ako namatay," revealed the director, who underwent treatment and recovered from tuberculosis during the shoot.

"That's the magic of cinema, after going through the mud, struggling... at some point, hindi mo na alam yung ginagawa mo. Andun ka sa kamalayang iniingatan mo para matapos mo yung tinatawag mong vision.

"For me, 'Magellan' is that. We go back to the past so that our nation can take a step forward," he said.

The Venice Golden Lion-winning director acknowledged that making it to the Academy Awards would be a daunting journey.

The Philippines has been submitting possible Oscar entries for decades, but no Filipino film has ever secured at least a nomination.

"Ang Oscars kasi butas ng karayom yan. The methodology is we have to campaign," Diaz said.

But hopes are alive as "Magellan" has been acquired for international distribution.