A luxurious country club on the outskirts of Manila is actually a microcosm of Philippine society, with the lingering ghost of colonialism and a distorted class structure. Isabel, a 17-year-old girl who begins working as a ‘tee girl,’ placing golf balls for players to hit, feels strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the club’s general manager. Meanwhile, businessman Renato plays a round of golf with his niece Clara, who is visiting from the United States, insisting that she take over the family business. Amid the absurdity of water overflowing on the fairway while it is rationed outside due to an extreme drought, the characters’ relationships lead toward the brutal truth the country club is hiding. This debut feature by Rafael Manuel expands his short film of the same title, which won the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Short Film. With Jia Zhangke as an executive producer, the film attracted attention at this year’s Sundance, marking Manuel as a new talent in Philippine cinema. Meticulous compositions in the 4:3 aspect ratio screen, mesmerizing color contrast, and a delicately controlled mise-enscene present an intense sensory experience.
Born March 29 1990 in Manila, and based between Amsterdam, London, and Manila, Rafael Manuel's short films have won a Silver Bear at the Berlinale, have screened at Locarno, IFFR, and FIDMarseille, and are exhibited by ARTE and the Criterion Collection. He is the last film protege at the Rolex Arts Initiative where he was mentored by Jia Zhang-ke. Filipiñana is his debut feature-length film.
From Tokyo International Film Festival 2026, No. 39
