JERRY OLEA
Ang pelikulang Magellan ni Lav Diaz ang isusumite ng Pilipinas para sa kategoryang Best International Feature Film ng 98th Oscars o Academy Awards.
Inihayag ito ni Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Director General Paolo Villaluna sa opening ceremony ng Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) 2015 ngayong Setyembre 1, 2025, Lunes, sa Red Carpet Cinema 1 ng Shangri-La Plaza, EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City.
Bida sa Magellan ang Mexican actor na si Gael Garcia Bernal.
Isa sa producers si Direk Paul Soriano ng Black Cap Pictures (BCP).
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“Ang haba ng nilakbay ng Magellan, 1521 hanggang ngayon,” pahayag ni Direk Lav.
“So, ang haba na rin ng pagdurusa ng ating bayan. Ang hirap ipaliwanag kung paano namin natapos, ang hirap gawin ng Magellan. Napakahirap.
“Muntik pa akong namatay. Isang… iyon yung magic ng cinema… after struggling, you know what’s happening, at some point hindi mo na alam ang ginagawa mo.
“Pero andoon kasi yung kamalayang iniingatan mo para matapos yung tinatawag nilang vision.
“Sa akin, ang Magellan is that — balikan natin yung nakaraan upang makaahon ang ating bayan.”
WILL GAEL GARCIA BERNAL ATTEND MAGELLAN'S PHILIPPINE PREMIERE?
Sa Setyembre 10, Miyerkules, ipalalabas sa local cinemas ang Magellan. Babalik ba sa Pilipinas si Gael?
Napangiti si Direk Paul: “He’s been to the Philippines twice already for the shooting. For the first part, he was here for three weeks. And then he came back for another two, three weeks.
“So he really embraced the country. He loved everything about the Philippines.
“Like Lav said, it’s very similar to the Mexican culture. So he’s very supportive.
“He’ll definitely be back to support the film, whether it’s gonna be for our September 10 nationwide screening or he’s to surprise you.
“But he’s very supportive. He knows about the news, and he’s excited to also campaign with us.
“He’s gonna be very crucial also to the campaign of the film especially we’ll be in Toronto, and I think the New York film festival the next month.”
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NOEL FERRER
Pitong pelikula ang na-shortlist para ipadala natin sa 98th Oscars, at pito rin ang members ng selection committee, the chairman of which was Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairman Jose Javier Reyes o Direk Joey.
Maliban sa Magellan, na-shortlist ang Sunshine, Food Delivery, Hello, Love, Again, Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, at Song of the Fireflies.
Final two daw ang pinagbotohan ng selection committee.
Bilang chairman ng selection committee ay hindi kasali sa botohan si Direk Joey, maliban kung may tie na kailangan niyang i-break.
Tigtatlo ng boto ang final 2, at si Direk Joey ang tie breaker.
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“Hirap na hirap ang selection committee, OK, sa pagpili kung anong entry ang ipapadala sa Oscars sa taong ito,” sabi ni Direk Joey.
“And that’s a good problem. That’s a really good problem when you have such a difficult time deciding on which film you’re going to send.”
In the end, nanaig ang Magellan ni Direk Lav Diaz.
“Again, just to reiterate what Lav said, you cannot find a direction for the future unless you understand your past,” sambit ni Direk Joey.
“You cannot understand what is happening in the present unless you put it in the context of the history as to how we got here.
“So what better choice there is than to give tribute to a film which is supposedly, allegedly about a man who discovered the Philippines — a country which is still discovering itself even until today.”
Gaya ng dati, magbibigay ng PHP1M grant ang FDCP sa Magellan bilang tulong para sa Oscars campaign nito.
“Let us all keep our fingers crossed, OK, that we will get there,” pakli ni Direk Joey.
“But then, regardless of we will get there or not, Lav Diaz is Lav Diaz. And we are so proud to have him.”
GORGY RULA
Maliban sa PHP1M grant ng FDCP, ano pang suporta ang maaasahan sa gobyerno para sa Oscars campaign ng Magellan?
“Actually, trabaho ng Film Academy of the Philippines ang mag-strategize at maghanap ng suporta for the film, no,” tugon ni FAP Director General Paolo Villaluna.
“Makakaasa tayo actually this year na ang national government will be supporting the film.
“As to how much, inaayos pa namin. Kasi as you know naman, kaka-appoint lang sa akin.
“Ang lahat ng trabaho ko ay to overhaul, I mean, kasama yun sa pag-o-overhaul natin na suportahan natin yung mga pelikula natin for Oscars.
“Alam niyo, we’ve been sending so many good films but people forget it’s a financial campaign din, e.
“Parang when we look at other international films who got in sa shortlist, it was because they had big national government support.
“And we’ll be doing that this time.”
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