Beautifully photographed and perfectly choreographed: At an immaculate luxury resort on the outskirts of Manila, 17-year-old tee-girl Isabel desperately tries to return a misplaced golf club to the club president, Dr. Palanca. As she wanders through the sprawling grounds, she uncovers disturbing secrets about her workplace, the elite members of the golf club – and even her own past. Behind the manicured lawns and luxurious façade lies a world of privilege, dependency and structural violence.

Through surreal moments, meticulously composed images and subtle humour, Rafael Manuel exposes the social power structures and enduring colonial legacies of his native Philippines. FILIPIÑANA is the Philippines’ official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2027 Academy Awards.

Rafael Manuel is a Filipino filmmaker based between Amsterdam, London and Manila. His short films have screened at festivals including Locarno, Rotterdam and Marseille. His short film FILIPIÑANA won the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the Berlinale in 2020. As a “Rolex Arts Initiative” protégé, he was mentored by the famous Chinese screenwriter and director Jia Zhangke. The feature-length FILIPIÑANA marks his feature debut.

Filmography (selection): 2020 FILIPIÑANA, 2023 PÁSSARO MEMÓRIA (both short films), 2026 FILIPIÑANA

Awards (selection): World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision (Sundance Film Festival, Park City/USA 2026), Award for Best Feature Film (Valencia International Film Festival, Spain 2026)