Filipiñana
2026 drama film by Rafael Manuel
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Filipiñana is a 2026 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Rafael Manuel in his feature film debut, which expands upon his 2020 thesis short film of the same name. The film examines post colonial-class disparities through 17-year-old Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto) as she works as a “tee-girl” on a sweltering day at a golf course in the Philippines.[1]
- Bianca Balbuena
- Jeremy Chua
- Omar El Kadi
- Bradley Liew
- Rafael Manuel
- Alex Polunin
- Nadia Turincev
- Jorrybell Agoto
- Carmen Castellanos
- Teroy Guzman
- Carlos Siguion-Reyna
- Isabel Sicat
- Nour Hooshmand
| Filipiñana | |
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| Directed by | Rafael Manuel |
| Written by | Rafael Manuel |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Xenia Patricia |
| Edited by | Rafael Manuel |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 100 minutes |
| Countries |
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The film had its world premiere in competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on 23 January,[2] and had its European premiere at the Perspective section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 15 February.[3]
Premise
A 17-year-old girl Isabel feels strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the president of the country club where she works. However, after piecing together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club's pristine surface, she realizes that what began as an innocent infatuation is actually rooted in a sinister shared history.[4]
Cast
- Jorrybell Agoto as Isabel
- Carmen Castellanos as Clara
- Teroy Guzman as Dr. Palanca
- Carlos Siguion-Reyna as Renato
- Isabel Sicat as Ina
- Nour Hooshmand as Janine
- Ruby Ruiz as Tata
- Agot Isidro as Maribel
- Angeli Bayani as Beth
- Shamaine Buencamino as Imelda
Themes and interpretations
Being an examination of national identity, the film's title refers to the concept of Filipiniana which refers to artifacts that are related to the history, geography, folklore, and culture of the Philippines.[5]
Production
Development
An international co-production film between the Philippines, Singapore, United Kingdom, France, and Netherlands. Filipiñana was written by Rafael Manuel in 2018 during his time at film school, originally as a feature film screenplay, before deciding to build a profile for the film to secure funding by producing a short film first based on it.[6] The short film served as Manuel's thesis film at the London Film School, premiering at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival and winning the Silver Bear for Best Short Film.[7] Producer Jeremy Chua of Potocol and Manuel were introduced by their mutual film teacher Gisli Snaer Erlingsson at the 2020 Berlinale.[8]
Potocol and Epimedia presented the film at the Busan Asian Project Market in October 2023. In February 2024, Magnify announced its acquisition of the film's global sales rights while Film4 boarded the project as producer.[9] Jia Zhangke joined as an executive producer after meeting Manuel for a two-year mentorship program sponsored by Rolex. Zhangke's company, Unknown Pleasures Pictures, acquired the distribution rights for the film in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.[10]
The film, supported by the Cinéfondation La Residence du Festival de Cannes, with Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev and Omar El Kadi as producers.[11]
Filming
Principal photography began during the first half of 2024. The film, set at a fictional Golf & Country Club in Manila, was actually filmed in various golf clubs near the city including the Caliraya Springs Golf Club in Laguna, and the Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Batangas.[9][12]
Release
Filipiñana premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on 23 January.[2] It had its European premiere in Berlin on 15 February.[13]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 16 critics' reviews are positive.[14] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 75 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "generally positive reviews".[15]
Jordan Mintzer of THR praises the film's darkly comic and visuals, positively compared to Michael Haneke and David Lynch.[16] IndieWire critic David Ehrlich also sees similarities to Haneke's filmography, noting: "The director shoots the place with a Haneke-like remove that makes every member, caddie, and Chinese tourist feel like they're conspiring to bury an awful secret of some kind".[17] Bilge Ebiri of Vulture praises Manuel's direction and describes "heightened control of imagery and mood, attention to composition and texture and sound".[18] Chase Hutchinson of TheWrap praises the film, believes it's a "cutting, confident, and ultimately formally captivating feature debut".[19]
Accolades
At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Filipiñana won the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision.[20]