🌍 Magellan Premieres at Cannes – A Epic Co-Production Featuring Portugal

Big news today: Magellan, an epic historical drama directed by Filipino auteur Lav Diaz, just premiered in the Cannes Premiere section at Cannes Film Festival 2025. What’s really exciting? It’s a bold international co-production—Portugal is one of the key countries involved, alongside Spain, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

The film stars award-winning Gael García Bernal as Ferdinand Magellan and follows his legendary voyage through Southeast Asia in the early 1500s. Lav Diaz chose Portugal’s cinematic DNA for authenticity, using Portuguese locations (and even a replica of Magellan’s ship) to bring the story to life.

Why this matters for Portugal 🎬

• Global spotlight: Premiere at Cannes gives Portugal’s production talent and local crews top-tier international exposure.

• Co‑production at its finest: Working alongside major industry players, Portuguese teams get to showcase their storytelling and technical chops.

• Incentives in action: Projects like this help draw attention to incentives like the PIC Portugal cash rebate, which keeps international projects interested.

This kind of representation not only highlights Portugal’s readiness for large-scale, high-impact filmmaking—but it also adds momentum for future collaborations across Europe and Asia.