Why Lav Diaz’s ‘Magellan’ can’t screen in Malaysia

KUCHING, Sarawak — Multi-awarded indie filmmaker Lav Diaz’s film “Magellan” was barred from screening at the ongoing 2025 Asean International Film Festival & Awards (AIFFA) due to scenes containing nudity, which conflict with the Sharia law observed in Malaysia.

In Muslim-majority states like Malaysia, the Sharia law includes strict rules around modesty and public displays of nudity, which filmmakers must navigate when screening content.

Despite the setback, Diaz remained unfazed. For him, the ban is less a controversy than a reminder of the cultural boundaries filmmakers inevitably cross. “Well, this is a Muslim state. They have their own laws,” he said matter-of-factly.

Respect the law

He holds no resentment toward AIFFA organizers or Malaysian authorities. If anything, he views the decision with respect and familiarity. “We respect the law. It’s the Sharia law,” he said. “I grew up in a Muslim state in Maguindanao, so I can understand that. There are a lot of restrictions.”

What he finds ironic, however, is that the story of “Magellan” begins on Malaysian soil. “It’s strange because this is where the movie started. If you watch the film, it started in Malacca,” he told Inquirer Entertainment in an exclusive interview.

Diaz explained that the film’s early sequences — including the appearance of a nomadic tribeswoman and the depiction of the Massacre of Malacca — are rooted in historical events from the early 1500s.

“They were here in 1509 to 1511,” he said, recounting how Magellan first attacked Malacca before returning. “In 1511, he bought his slave Enrique in Malacca after the massacre.” The Portuguese occupation that followed lasted about 150 years, before the Dutch and later the British took control of the region.

Uncompromising work

He continued recalling colonial history, outlining how centuries of foreign rule ultimately fractured the Malay Peninsula into modern-day Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and parts of southern Thailand. “Malaysia was taken by the British. Our archipelago was taken by the Spanish. Indonesia was taken by the Dutch,” he said. “Kalahi natin lahat ang mga ito.”

For Diaz, conversations sparked by “Magellan” — its themes, its historical framing, its ambition — matter just as much as any festival screening. The film, he stressed, is the product of extensive research and uncompromising work. “It’s all hard work, this ‘Magellan,’” he said, almost laughing at the memory of the grueling process. 

Diaz is among this year’s guests of honor at the AIFFA. The film was originally included in the lineup of seven Filipino titles shortlisted for competition. The 2025 edition of AIFFA opened on Nov. 12 and ends today, Nov. 15.

“Magellan,” starring Gael Garcia Bernal, is also the Philippines’ official entry to the best international feature film category of the 98th Academy Awards. It recently won the Golden Spike, the top award at the 70th Valladolid International Film Festival in Spain, tying with The Mastermind, directed by Kelly Reichardt. /ra