FILIPIÑANA

FILIPIÑANA

Directed by

Rafael Manuel

Singapore, UK, Philippines, France 2026 101 MIN

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FILIPIÑANA

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Isabel leaves the rural north of the Philippines to work as a tee-girl at an exclusive country club outside Manila. Surrounded by immaculate lawns, wealthy members, and employees trained to satisfy their every demand, she begins learning the unwritten rules of this self-contained world. Isabel becomes strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the powerful president of the club, and a simple attempt to return his misplaced golf club leads her deeper into spaces normally closed to workers like her. As the polished surface begins to crack, Isabel discovers disturbing connections between privilege, violence, the history of her country, and secrets buried within her own past.

Gallery

FILIPIÑANA
FILIPIÑANA
FILIPIÑANA
FILIPIÑANA

Rafael Manuel

Rafael Manuel is a Filipino director, screenwriter, producer, and editor, born in Manila in 1990. He studied philosophy and visual communication at Ateneo de Manila University before completing an MA in filmmaking at the London Film School. His short film Filipiñana won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the 70th Berlinale and was nominated for Best British Short Film at the British Independent Film Awards. Manuel was later mentored by filmmaker Jia Zhangke through the Rolex Arts Initiative. The feature-length Filipiñana, his debut feature, premiered at Sundance in 2026, where it received the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision.

Credits

Director
Rafael Manuel
Screenplay
Rafael Manuel
Cinematography
Xenia Patricia
Editing
Rafael Manuel
Sound Design
Vincent Villa
Cast
Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat, Nour Hooshmand, Elle Velasco, Angeli Bayani, Micah Mus
Producers
Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev, Omar El Kadi, Rafael Manuel (Film4, Pōtocol, Ossian International, Epicmedia Productions, Easy Riders Films, Idle Eye)

Screenings

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