Filipiñana: Award-Winning Film Set for UK and Ireland Release by BFI Distribution
BFI Distribution has acquired the rights to Rafael Manuel's award-winning film Filipiñana for distribution in the UK and Ireland. The film, which won the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision and was also featured at the Berlin Film Festival, tells the story of a 17-year-old working at an elite golf club in the Philippines, where corruption lurks beneath the surface. The cast includes Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat, and Nour Houshmand.
The producers of Filipiñana are Jeremy Chua for Potocol (Singapore), Alex Polunin for Ossian International (UK), Bianca Balbuena and Bradley Liew for Epicmedia (Philippines), and Rafael Manuel for Idle Eye Production (Netherlands). Film4 was involved in the development and co-financing of the film, with co-producers from Singapore and France.
The feature film originated from Manuel's short film that won the Silver Bear at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival. Manuel, a Filipino filmmaker based in London, Amsterdam, and Manila, expressed his excitement about collaborating with BFI Distribution to bring Filipiñana to a wider audience in the UK. Caitlin Smith, BFI's acting head of acquisitions, praised the film for its cinematic formalism, narrative tension, stunning visual language, evocative sound design, and compelling performances, highlighting Manuel's talent as a storyteller.
Manuel acknowledged the support he received from BFI Network and other programs that helped shape his artistic journey, making the collaboration with BFI Distribution to release Filipiñana in the UK feel like a significant milestone in his career. The film is set for release in the autumn, offering UK and Ireland audiences the opportunity to experience Manuel's captivating storytelling and visual artistry.