Why the Film Opens in Malacca

The new film Magellan chronicles the life of Portuguese colonizer Ferdinand Magellan, the first person to circumnavigate the globe. Known for his voyage crossing the Pacific Ocean and landing on the island of Cebu, now the Philippines, the movie shows how Magellan was heralded as a hero to some, but is viewed as a murderer by many. In the film, the famed, acclaimed actor Gael García Bernal plays Magellan. We speak to the film’s director, Lav Diaz, an award-winning filmmaker and writer from the Philippines.