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Magellan

Play trailer Magellan 2025 2h 35m Biography Drama History Play Trailer Watchlist
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16th century. Magellan, a young and ambitious Portuguese navigator, rebels against the power of the King, who doesn't support his dream of discovering the world. He persuades the Spanish Crown to fund his bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East. The voyage is exhausting beyond expectations, with hunger and mutiny pushing the crew to their limits. Upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan's mind changes. He becomes obsessed with conquest and conversion, which sparks violent uprisings beyond his control. This is not the myth of Magellan, but the truth of his journey.

Critics Reviews

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Josh Slater-Williams IndieWire Diaz’s confrontational film proves one of his most fascinating achievements: a hypnotizing historical and spiritual epic that’s immersive in a way that few decades-spanning stories successfully pull off. Rated: B May 19, 2025 Full Review Jonathan Romney Screen International Viewers schooled in the historical background will be at an advantage. But what comes across is a sardonic, detached but compelling study, rather echoing the stately intelligence of a much later Portuguese pioneer, Manoel de Oliveira. May 19, 2025 Full Review Diego Batlle Otroscines.com Few contemporary filmmakers compose shots with the density, dimension, and suggestive power like that of the Filipino master. A filmmaker who goes against the grain and possesses a unique talent. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 May 22, 2025 Full Review Clarence Tsui South China Morning Post With its stunning imagery and a slow-burning, yet ceaselessly fiery narrative about the lust for power and its discontents, Magellan is a powerful addition to Diaz’s distinctive filmmaking oeuvre. Rated: 4.5/5 May 19, 2025 Full Review Alistair Ryder The Film Stage Diaz only appears to twist convention through omission; the one big battle scene is a deliberately anti-climactic static take, shot at a distant remove, of three boats clumsily firing cannons at each other, like the anti-Master and Commander. May 19, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Lav Diaz

Director

Gael García Bernal

Actor

Ângela Azevedo

Actor

Amado Arjay Babon

Actor

Ronnie Lazaro

Actor

Hazel Orencio

Actor
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Magellan

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Movie Info

Synopsis 16th century. Magellan, a young and ambitious Portuguese navigator, rebels against the power of the King, who doesn't support his dream of discovering the world. He persuades the Spanish Crown to fund his bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East. The voyage is exhausting beyond expectations, with hunger and mutiny pushing the crew to their limits. Upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan's mind changes. He becomes obsessed with conquest and conversion, which sparks violent uprisings beyond his control. This is not the myth of Magellan, but the truth of his journey.
Director
Lav Diaz
Screenwriter
Lav Diaz
Production Co
Rosa Filmes, Andergraun Films, Lib Films, Black Cap Pictures
Genre
Biography, Drama, History
Original Language
Portuguese
Runtime
2h 35m