(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Sundance Film Festival)
By Lucy Spicer
On a sweltering summer's day in the Philippines, it's too hot to move quickly. Wiser to adopt a slow, measured pace - and maybe break up the day with a nap or two. This creeping energy is what fuels Filipi ana, the feature debut from Rafael Manuel based on his short film of the same name. Premiering at The Ray Theatre on January 23 as part of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Dramatic Competition, Filipi ana takes place over one day on the golf course of a sprawling country club in Manila. The setting is crucial - the golf course practically becomes a character in its own right.
Golf in the Philippines has a very special relationship I think, says Manuel during the film's post-premiere Q&A. The first golf courses in the Philippines were actually on American military bases, so there's very much a colonial aspect to it. And then when the Americans left, the ruling elite kind of took over the golf courses and made them their spaces. So these are very much spaces of power, and that was only exacerbated during COVID, because golf was the only sport that was allowed. So the sport grew immensely during COVID, and it's really popular in the Philippines. So for me, it just made so much sense as a metaphor for my country.
The course is a space where the haves and have-nots are clearly separated. Uniformed women work as caddies for wealthy patrons and Chinese tourists. Even younger ladies - in different uniforms - act as tee girls at the driving range so that golfers don't have to waste time placing new balls on tees. One of these tee girls is 17-year-old Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto). She's new, so she's still learning the ropes, like where on the course is off-limits and what to do when a less-than-gifted golfer hits you with a ball. When Isabel meets the club's president, the enigmatic Dr. Palanca (Teroy Guzman), she finds herself drawn to him. Her quest to learn more about Dr. Palanca gradually takes her across the expanse of the country club, and along the way she commits small, personal acts of rebellion, like stealing a miniscule taste of an untouched cake lingering on a table that guests have abandoned.
For Manuel, these small instances of rebellion are powerful. I think when we're faced with the state of the world today, and how it's very easy to be overwhelmed by it and be pessimistic and to fall into this trap of inaction, I hope that just like Isabel in the film, we all remember that no matter how small, even the tiniest of actions have the power to create something new, says the filmmaker in his introduction to the screening.
Isabel was born into a social class that makes up 70% of the Philippines, and vertical mobility is very limited, explains Manuel during the Q&A. This context amplifies the satirical nature of many background goings-on in the film. A band made of blind musicians is on hand to entertain guests, for example. Guests are also treated to a bizarre karaoke performance by the club president at one point.
A static camera and meticulous framing throughout Isabel's wanderings suggest an eerie rigidity reflective of the rules of social standing. There's this structure and this system that's in place, says cinematographer Xenia Patricia during the post-premiere discussion. And we really wanted to feel that through the precise camera movement. Like everyone has to have or should be in their place in that structure.
But irrespective of class or social standing, every body - whether it belongs to a rich businessman or a lowly club employee - looks as still as death when it's napping in the heat. A slow pace and overall quiet environment render the end of the film all the more shocking as Isabel recognizes unsavory connections that keep the club running as usual, with everyone in their proper place.
Golf is not a fast game, notes Manuel. I think that what we wanted to do as well was build a very quiet world, and this quiet world that we wanted to build is almost like a church. And so the little things that Isabel does, they send ripples around the world. So when you set the ceiling of the volume or the pace low, then small reactions stand out more.
Levitating (Para Perasuk) Is a Trance Party with a Soul
Your Guide to the Projects by Asian Filmmakers at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival
What to Watch: 6 Sundance Institute-Supported Films by Filipino Directors
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
18/08/2026
Riedel Communications has announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, ...
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Sundance Film Festival)
