Magazine ventures into discussing Magellan's potential in shaping Oscar history
In the world of cinema, the race for the prestigious Oscars is heating up, and the Philippines has joined the fray with its entry for the 98th Oscars: Lav Diaz's epic historical drama, Magellan.
Directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Lav Diaz, who has won numerous awards for his films, Magellan chronicles the final months of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The film stars Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal as the titular character.
The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) has selected Magellan based on its aesthetic and technical excellence, embodiment of Filipino values and culture, international appeal, and the ability to mount an extensive campaign for Academy shortlisting and nomination.
In a bid to make it big in the Oscars, the FAP, led by director-general Paolo Villaluna, has announced its financial support for Magellan's Oscars push. However, as Villaluna noted, it takes deep pockets to compete in the highly competitive and expensive Oscars race.
To handle the campaign, Cinetic Marketing, the agency behind the successful campaigns of Drive My Car and Parasite, has been enlisted. The name of the supporting agent who will manage the campaign for Magellan is yet to be announced.
The Philippines aims for an Oscars breakthrough, and to achieve this, it is crucial to produce films that are not "more of the same," according to Jose Javier Reyes, who heads the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). Reyes emphasized the importance of creating deeper and more meaningful films.
Magellan premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival this September. The film will be distributed in North America by Janus Films, a studio with a history of acquiring international films that have found Oscars success.
For instance, Janus Films distributed Drive My Car (2021) and Flow (2024), both of which were nominated for Oscars. Notably, American independent studio Neon spent $18 million on the marketing, distribution, and awards campaign of Anora, which won multiple Oscars in 2020.
However, the Philippines has never had a film nominated for the Academy Awards Best International Feature Film since its inception in 1956. The FAP will give P1 million to support Magellan, but it is not enough for Oscars campaigning, as Villaluna pointed out, many international films that made the shortlist had significant government support.
As the countdown to the Oscars begins, the Philippines' cinematic community eagerly awaits to see if Magellan can make history and bring home an Oscar.
