Historical epic ‘Magellan’ set for select screenings in US

Gael Garcia Bernal as the Portuguese explorer and colonizer in ‘Magellan.’ Photo from Janus Films

Screenings of the 2026 historical epic “Magellan,” written and directed by Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz, will take place on Jan. 23 and 24 in Washington, D.C.

This pair of screenings, held in AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmaker Diaz himself.

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The two-hour and 45-minute epic follows infamous Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (Gael García Bernal) and his relationship with his wife Beatriz Barbosa (Ângela Azevedo) and his early 16th century conquests, culminating in the Philippines.

The discourse-sparking film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. It was also chosen as the Philippines’ submission to the 98th Oscar Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.

For more information, visit AFI Silver Theatre’s official website.