Magellan at VIFF 2025

By Julian-Ray Fortaleza

Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz’s newest feature, Magellan, takes a long look at the early history of the Philippines and the life of Ferdinand Magellan.

Through long deliberate takes of nature, Diaz shows the tranquil beauty of the Philippines pre-colonization. Collages of local natives, previously untouched by the outside world, come into contact with savage sea farers searching for another route to the new world. Manipulation and influence begin to rear their ugly head as Magellan and his crew work to convert locals to Catholicism.

The film’s meditative pacing and visual style are classic Diaz. Unhurried, poetic, and filled with political undercurrent. There are extended silences and landscapes that invite reflection, allowing the viewer to absorb the gravity of what unfolds. Throughout the story, you find yourself cheering more and more for the people who have had their way of lives changed and challenged by outsiders. Their resistance is quiet, sometimes painful, and deeply human.

Playing to a larger than usual crowd for a weekday matinee, the reception at Vancouver’s Cinematheque was overall positive. The audience seemed engaged throughout the film’s runtime. 7/10