Magellan
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“A route under the end of the world”
Overview
In the 16th century, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (Gael García Bernal) and his crew have undertaken a perilous sailing voyage in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe, backed by the powerful Spanish crown. When their ship finally lands on the Philippine island of Cebu the sailors are initially welcomed by chief Rajah Humabon (Ronnie Lazaro), but Magellan's evangelical zeal and contempt for indigenous beliefs soon turns the Cebuano against them, and as rival chieftains attempt to use the outsiders in a play for power the island paradise becomes a site of bloodshed.
“Transporting and substantial...the spirit of slow cinema is alive and languid”
“Breathtaking...Diaz has crafted a stunning piece of time travel”
“Visually intoxicating...gasp-out-loud ravishing”
Why See This Film
With a runtime of only 160 minutes Magellan is perhaps the most accessible and visually arresting work from slow cinema auteur Lav Diaz, who shoots an unspoilt rainforest and acts of shocking brutality with the same painterly gaze. Co-lensing with DOP Arthur Tort (a regular of producer Albert Serra's films), Diaz has crafted a hypnotically beautiful tale of colonial violence and the transformation of history into myth, rigorously unpicking the Age of Sail's romantic legacy.
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