GORGY RULA
Ipalalabas na sa local cinemas ang pelikulang Magellan kung saan title role ang Mexican actor na si Gael Garcia Bernal.
Facebook post ng Ayala Malls Cinemas noong Agosto 28, 2025, Huwebes: “An intimate look into the life of Ferdinand Magellan, the renowned Portuguese navigator.
“Directed by Filipino auteur Lav Diaz, Magellan presents a powerful portrait of love, culture, and the navigator’s final months — leading to his death in the Philippines in 1521.
“Following its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, this epic historical biopic makes its way to Ayala Malls Cinemas on September 10!”
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MAGELLAN SHORTLISED FOR PH ENTRY TO OSCARS
Ang Magellan ay isa sa pitong na-shortlist ng Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) para panlaban natin sa kategoryang Best International Feature ng 98th Academy Awards o Oscars.
Ang anim pa ay Sunshine, Food Delivery, Hello, Love, Again, Green Bones, Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, at Song of the Fireflies, na pawang naipalabas na sa local cinemas.
Ang choice ng Selection Committee ng FAP ay ihahayag sa Gala Night ng Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) sa Setyembre 11, Huwebes, sa Seda Vertis North, Quezon City.
Read: Pitong pelikula, pagpipilian para maging PH entry sa 98th Oscars
Maliban kay Gael, nasa cast ng Magellan sina Amado Arjay Babon, Angela Azevedo, Ronnie Lazaro, Hazel Orencio, Tomas Alves, Bong Cabrera, at Dario Yazbek Bernal.
Ang buod ng Magellan: “In a pristine river in Malacca in the early 1500s, a child is wandering, frolicking and dreaming at the same time. Two slave traders kidnap him.
“This child will be known as Enrique, the one who will be Ferdinand Magellan's slave.
“In a palace in Portugal, King Manuel I throws Ferdinand's plan of reaching the Spice Islands using an alternate route.
“Both Enrique and Ferdinand dreams of a journey. They fulfilled it.”
Ang Magellan ay joint venture ng tatlong production company — Black Cap Pictures, Rosa Filmes, at Andergraun Films.
Kabilang sa producers si Direk Paul Soriano.
JERRY OLEA
Syinuting ni Direk Lav Diaz ang Magellan sa tatlong bansa — Pilipinas, Spain, at Portugal.
Sa Pilipinas, nagsyuting ang Magellan sa magkatabing bayan ng Sampaloc at Mauban sa Quezon Province.
Kumusta si Gael Garcia Bernal nang mag-shoot doon?
Malapit lang sa Sampaloc yung Casa Esperanza ni Zsa Zsa Padilla. Nasa may boundary iyon ng hometown kong Lucban, Quezon.
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GAEL GARCIA BERNAL IMMERSION IN QUEZON PROVINCE
Kuwento ng Black Cap producer na si Direk Paul Soriano: “When Gael arrived in the Philippines, diretso Sampaloc siya.
“He even stayed in one of the normal houses there. We rented a house there. He stayed there, wala siyang pakialam.
“I think, for me, just like maybe Magellan, that’s how Gael took this also. Parang for him, it was also a journey.
“You know, Magellan, there was a lot of unknowns. So for Gael, coming to the Philippines, he embraced the unknown. And he used that for his character.
“He was eating whatever the actors were eating. He was eating wherever the crew was eating.
“I mean, he was sleeping just there, along the same houses with Lav and the team. He would walk around Sampaloc.
“Nobody knew he was there. Nobody knew him there, nobody knew him there. Even si Direk Lav, nobody knows him there.
“He told me he’ll go to the palengke. Kung day off niya, he’ll go to the corner coffee shop. Hindi ito Starbucks, ha, iyong local na shop. Maliit lang.
“I mean, I went there many times. He’s there pa, nakatsinelas. Talagang he immersed. I mean, he was there to play Magellan.
“He did not need anything else but…”
Meron bang demands si Gael o ang team niya?
“The very standard requests, so, may shower, may bed. And you know naman Sampaloc, walang hotel diyan. Walang restaurant diyan.
“Mga carinderia. But masarap naman ang food. The people there were so nice. Wala, wala siyang requests.
“I mean, the normal requests of any actor, just like you know. As long as everyone is ready to work, ready din siya.”
Ganoon din si Gael nang mag-shoot sila sa Spain at Portugal?
“Consummate professional si Gael. I think that’s the reason why he’s been doing this for what, 30 years na siyang aktor,” tugon ni Direk Paul.
“When we were in Cannes na, he invited me to watch Amores perros [2000], no, 25 years anniversary, Amores perros.
“He even introduced me to Alejandro Iñarritu, good friend niya, two-time best director Oscar winner. He’s become a wonderful friend.
“We’re textmates now. Actually this morning, we were texting. He just arrived daw in the U.S., asking me, ‘How are you?’…
“He’s always working. I know he just did a film with Nicole Kidman. I think he’s doing another film with some other… I mean, even in Cannes, we’re walking.
“We’ll have dinner, we’ll have coffee, you know, wala siyang… I mean, he’s a world star.
“He worked with Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Iñurritu, Shyamalan, I mean, all these great directors, and he came to the Philippines ready to work. I mean, magaling.”
Nakatsikahan namin ng katotong Marinel Cruz si Direk Paul noong nakaraang Mayo 26 sa office ng TEN17P sa Chino Roces Ave., Makati City.
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NOEL FERRER
Ang statement ni writer-director na si Lav Diaz kaugnay sa bago niyang obra: “Ang pelikulang Magellan ay pitong taong gawain.
“Gumugol ako ng panahon sa pagbabasa ng alinman at anumang nasulat tungkol kay Magellan, ayunman sa mga natalang alaala ng mga naging bahagi ng ekspedisyong nabanggit.
“Binasa ko rin ang mga aklat, mga haka-haka, mga alamat at mito na napapaloob sa usaping Magellan.
“Malaking bahagi nito ay ang kamalayang Malay (mga nilalang ng Southeast Asia — Pilipinas, Malaysia at Indonesia).
“Paano tayo nabubuhay noon? Ano ang ating mga kaanyuan? Ano ang ating kamalayang komunidad, sosyedad, ispiritwal, at politikal?
“Ang paraang ito’y upang maging mas malinaw kahit papaano ang pagkukuwento nang ayun sa mas totoong kaganapan. Mas malapit sa katotohanan at tamang impormasyon.
“Sinikap ng pelikula na mas Malay ang perspektiba ng pelikula, o maging pantay ang pananaw at kamalayan nito, at hindi lang ang tinatawag nilang ‘dominant eye’ ng mga Europeo o puti.
“Malaking bahagi ng pelikula ang ugat ng usaping kolonyalismo (kasakiman at pananakop), at ang karahasan at pangungulimbat na nakaakibat dito.
“Mapapansin din na lahat nang pelikulang ginawa rito sa atin tungkol sa epoch/period na yun, bagamat nakafocus kay Lapu-lapu, kalimitan ay action films, at mas tumatahak sa mythmaking, malayo sa tamang datus o facts.
“Mistulang isang super mandirigma si Lapu-lapu sa interpretasyon ng mga gumawa, samantalang kung gagawa ng tamang research at imbestigasyon, walang nakakita sa kanya.
“Mas maraming historyador ang naniniwalang isa siyang matanda, o mas mahiwaga pa roon, dahil nga walang tamang datus tungkol sa kanya.
“Kailangan natin ng mga bayani, oo, pero mas kailangan natin nang katotohanan.”
Sa tingin ko, malaki ang probability na ito ang isusumite natin para sa Best International Feature ng 98th Oscars.
Hintayin natin!
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