Filmmaker Lav Diaz, renowned for his epic storytelling and recent Cannes premiere “Magellan,” is embarking on his next cinematic venture, a movie titled An Amazon. Diaz has entered pre-production on this English-language film, marking a significant milestone as his first movie shot entirely in English.
An Amazon is adapted from a short story by celebrated French author Alexandre Dumas, famed for classics like The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. The film will be produced by Diaz’s own Sine Olivia Pilipinas in partnership with the French company Silverbelt Films, which previously supported the Filipino short Bold Eagle by Whammy Alcazaren. Shooting will take place in the Philippines, featuring a cast of internationally acclaimed actors.
The plot centers on a young man who encounters a mysterious, masked woman at a ball. She conceals her identity and threatens to kill him if he reveals their secret affair, weaving a tale of intrigue and suspense. Diaz has described the story as one rich with deep emotions and mystery, resonating strongly with today’s political climate where “modern dictators’ masks are cracking every day.”
This project follows Diaz’s impressive track record at the Cannes Film Festival, where his three-hour cut of Magellan was recently screened. Magellan—an ambitious nine-hour feature—explores the life of the Portuguese explorer and his wife Beatriz, played by Ângela Ramos, with support from frequent collaborators Ronnie Lazaro and Hazel Orencio. The film was shot across the Philippines, Portugal, and Spain, underscoring Diaz’s commitment to expansive, historically grounded cinema.
Previously, Diaz’s films Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan and Ang Hupa premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and Directors’ Fortnight sections, respectively, cementing his reputation for powerful, thought-provoking storytelling.
