‘No one ever saw Lapulapu': Filipino Lav Diaz's new film ‘Magellan' challenges Philippine founding myth
'Magellan', which premiered at the Cannes film festival on Sunday, is the latest feature from Filipino director Lav Diaz, who acknowledges he is tackling sensitive issues.
The film takes its title from Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, played by Bernal, who set sail in the early 1500s across the Atlantic in search of Far East riches.
'He is the first European to be able to set foot in the Philippines. And at the same time, the conversion (to Christianity) of the Filipinos started with him,' Diaz told AFP.
'And, of course, colonisation eventually.'
Magellan, who was sponsored by the Spanish crown, died at the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521, killed in combat by warriors said to be led by Lapulapu.
Diaz puts forward a theory in his film that Lapulapu, who is now revered for his resistance, was in fact an invention of Humabon, the monarch of a neighbouring island.
The Battle of Mactan 'was a trap' for the explorer, who was told that people on Mactan island were resisting the arrival of Christianity.
'No-one ever saw Lapulapu,' Diaz says, adding that his conclusions are based on 'years of research' into this key episode in Philippine history.
Evidence for him is only found in the writings of Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian who accompanied Magellan and whose testimony Diaz considers unreliable.
'There will be people who accuse me of revisionism,' added the Filipino filmmaker, who won the Golden Lion top prize in Venice in 2016 for 'The Woman Who Left'.
Diaz is part of the 'slow cinema' movement, which has a contemplative and minimalist style.
He has described his film-making as a way for his fellow citizens to find their national identity after centuries of colonisation by Spain and the United States.
Known for his lengthy works – he once said his movies were so long no-one would buy them – this latest feature is a relatively brisk two hours and 40 minutes.
'I'm just an observer. I don't like being an intruder,' he said of his directing style.
His longest film runs to 11 hours and his 2016 entry for the Berlin film festival 'A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery' was eight.
Diaz's filmmaking is strongly influenced by his tumultuous childhood, growing up in the conflict-plagued southern town of Datu Paglas.
His parents, both state school teachers, uprooted themselves from the peaceful north to teach children in war zones how to read and write. — AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysia Sun
15 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
Moscow kicks off countdown to Eurovision rival
Artists and judges from around the globe will take part in the Intervision song competition in the Russian capital this fall The final countdown has begun for Intervision, an international music competition set to take place in Moscow. Tickets officially went on sale for the grand finale on Friday, marking 50 days until the event. The announcement, which featured Olympic ice dancer and show producer Ilya Averbukh, was made during a live broadcast from RT's studio on Moscow's Manezhnaya Square. "This is a very important and significant event," Averbukh said during the broadcast. He added that Intervision aims to unite cultures through music and deliver a "world-class show." Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in February ordering the event to be held as part of international cultural cooperation. The contest is presented as an international alternative to Eurovision, providing a platform for global participation after Russia was banned from the European event in 2022. This year's competition will feature performances by artists from 21 countries, including both performers and national jurors from Russia, Cuba, Belarus, Serbia, Qatar and Venezuela. The final will be held on September 20 at the Live Arena in Moscow. Organizers said the production team includes specialists behind major Russian events such as the Sochi Olympics opening ceremony, promising a high level of showmanship. Russian singer Shaman will represent the host country with his song "Straight to the Heart." "Every artist will carry the culture of their country," Aberbukh said, adding that the main challenge is balancing national identity with universal appeal. Tickets are availablehere. READ MORE: JLo backtracks on Moscow concert media Eurovision, organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1956, has faced criticism in recent years over allegations of political bias, vote manipulation, and inconsistent rules. In 2022, the EBU banned Russia from Eurovision following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has since accused the contest of applying double standards, noting Israel's continued participation despite ongoing military operations in Gaza. Critics have long argued that Eurovision voting reflects political alliances more than musical talent. Intervision organizers say their contest will prioritize musical and cultural representation across continents, including Latin America, Africa, and Asia. (
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Traditional puppet ban in Indonesian capital threatens buskers
In the sweltering streets of Jakarta, Indonesia, buskers carry towering, hollow puppets and pass around a bucket for donations. Now, they fear becoming outlaws. City authorities say they will crack down on use of the sacred ondel-ondel puppets, which can stand as tall as a truck, and they are drafting legislation to remove what they view as a street nuisance. Performances featuring the puppets – originally used by Jakarta's Betawi people to ward off evil spirits – will be allowed only at set events. The ban could leave many ondel-ondel buskers in Jakarta without a job. 'I am confused and anxious. I fear getting raided or even arrested. But what can I do? I need money to eat,' said Adi Sutisna, a 26-year-old Jakarta native who works as an ondel-ondel busker. A row of unfinished ondel-ondel puppets, large traditional figures from Jakarta's Betawi culture originally used to ward off evil spirits. Photo: AFP Adi, who only graduated from elementary school, has been working as an ondel-ondel busker for seven years, earning US$7 (RM29.70) on a good day to provide for his wife and five-year-old daughter. Ondel-ondel is the pride of the native Jakarta tribe, the Betawi people. Traditional performances were accompanied by instruments for festive and celebratory events, including weddings, circumcisions, and welcome ceremonies for honourable guests. Cyril Raoul Hakim, spokesman for Jakarta governor Pramono Anung, said that the ban was still being drafted with 'the preservation of Betawi culture' in mind and it would be put to legislators soon. 'We hope it will be passed not too long from now,' he said. For survival Over time, ondel-ondel have been increasingly used by buskers who sway the puppets to music from loudspeakers, seeking money on the roadside, at traffic lights, and in the alleyways of Jakarta's densely populated neighbourhoods. The city administration has long wanted to ban ondel-ondel busking, arguing that the practice sullies the dignity of the cultural icon. Street performers playing the traditional Indonesian bamboo instruments angklung as they walk past ondel-ondel puppets. Photo: AFP Bureaucrats believe roadside busking undermines the puppets' cultural significance. But many Jakartans rely on the entertainment to bring in much-needed cash. According to government data, the number of people living below the poverty line in metropolitan Jakarta – a megalopolis of 11 million people – was up from 362,000 in 2019 to 449,000 as of September 2024. The Central Statistics Bureau says the poverty line in Indonesia in 2025 is just over one dollar a day. 'The ondel-ondel is heavy; it is very hot inside,' said Adi. 'But I do it anyway because if I don't, my wife and my kid won't be able to eat.' For the right reasons The planned ban has left authentic ondel-ondel performers and makers torn about the preservation of their culture and the plight of the buskers. Performers such as Fadillah Akbar believe the cultural symbol must be revered, and should not be used to beg for money. 'The problem is that they beg on the street – that's a disturbance, and it bothers my soul,' said the 33-year-old ondel-ondel artist. He believes ondel-ondel must come in pairs, a woman and a man, and be accompanied by traditional live music instead of a recorded song playing on loudspeakers. Ondel-ondel performer Fadillah, who recently performed at Japan's Expo 2025 in Osaka, posing in front of his puppet warehouse. Photo: AFP 'Of course, I feel bad for the buskers, especially since I know many of them, but it is a cultural icon whose dignity must be upheld,' Fadillah said. The head of Jakarta's public order agency, Satriadi Gunawan, said ondel-ondel busking disturbed road users with loudspeakers and requests for money. 'In Betawi culture, upholding ondel-ondel's dignity is important, and now it is often used to beg for money,' he said. But some historians disagree, saying limiting the puppet presence on Jakarta's streets could hurt efforts to keep the dwindling tradition alive. 'Banning ondel-ondel busking in the name of culture signifies their lack of understanding for tradition,' said Jakarta-based historian J.J. Rizal. 'It proves that not only does the city government not understand culture, but it also endangers the preservation of art.' – AFP
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
US theatre and opera legend Robert Wilson dead at 83
Celebrated US director Robert Wilson, who revolutionised stage and opera, died on Thursday at the age of 83, his management said. "Robert Wilson died peacefully today in Water Mill, New York, at the age of 83, after a brief but acute illness," said a statement issued on his website. It said he worked right up until the end. Wilson's productions of original works as well as traditional repertoire pieces were hugely popular wherever they were shown. But it was in France where he was best known. It was the French who gave him a "home," Wilson told AFP in 2021. It was in 1976 that Wilson was propelled onto the international stage with Einstein On The Beach, a nearly five-hour opera staged several times since its creation, with music by Philip Glass. Einstein On The Beach broke all the conventions of classical opera - there is no linear narrative but rather it draws on themes related to Einstein's life. It does not aim to explain the theory of relativity but to convey the upheaval introduced by the notion of space-time, notably through dance. Wilson's trademarks included minimalist aesthetics, body language influenced by Asian theatrical forms, and lighting effects evoking dreamlike worlds. Avant garde admiration His love affair with France began with Deafman Glance (Le Regard du Sourd) - his first success - a "silent" seven-hour show presented at the Nancy Festival in 1971, and later in Paris. The show was born out of a real-world incident when in 1967, Wilson saw a 13-year-old Black teenager, Raymond Andrews, being beaten in the street by a police officer. He realized the child was deaf and mute and eventually adopted him. Wilson, also a visual artist, had a string of collaborations including with choreographer Andy de Groat, Tom Waits, Isabelle Huppert for Orlando by Virginia Woolf, Lady Gaga for video portraits of her at the Louvre, and ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov. "While facing his diagnosis with clear eyes and determination, he still felt compelled to keep working and creating right up until the very end," the website piece announcing his death said. "His works for the stage, on paper, sculptures and video portraits, as well as The Watermill Center, will endure as Robert Wilson's artistic legacy." Memorials will be held for Wilson at time and locations yet to be announced. Born to a lawyer in October 4, 1941, in Waco, Texas, Wilson was performing his own plays in the family garage by the age of 12, but recalls being bottom of the class at school. He was cured of a severe stutter thanks to a psychotherapist who worked with dance. In his 20s, he landed in New York but hated what he saw in theatres and instinctively gravitated toward the American avant garde: Andy Warhol, John Cage, choreographers George Balanchine, and especially Martha Graham. He relished nurturing emerging talent, and in 1992, created the Watermill Center near New York. - AFP
